Wanna bet?
by SeventhSister
Summary: When Harmony is swooped away to the Labyrinth by her older brother, she wagers her freedom against a wish granted from Jareth. But, can she manage to escape the Labyrinth in her mind and around her, as the clocks tick to the thirteenth hour?
1. Chapter 1

One.

Harmony Jorja was walking down the sweat stinking hall of her school, towards the main gate and the freedom behind it, her black Doc Martens' boots hammering against the worn linoleum in her little one-girl march. True, she wasn't fond of her school: if she didn't know what the teachers tried to learn her, she didn't need it. But today, on this very day, there was a particular reason for why she was hurrying down the silent corridors. And, for once, it was a good reason. The reason had a name. A good strong name, plastered over Harmony's locker and her table, a name whispered by nervous housewives with their perfect plastic hair and perfect plastic smiles and perfect plastic children. Robert was the name. The name's Smith. Robert Smith.

,, Shaken, not stirred." Harmony smiled to herself and walked out the grey building, which acted as her school. She almost ran, her shoulder bag swinging around her and beating into her kneecaps with every step. Of course, the concert wasn't until tonight, but the small, childish part of her brain said, that the faster she walked, the faster the time went. Silly, but Harmony had been waiting for _months _and now, on the day, it seemed unfair to wait any longer.

_When I woke up this morning, he should have been standing at the foot of the bed with a microphone in his hand and a bow on his head._

she thought and couldn't help smile at the mental image of Robert Smith with a huge bow on his tousled hair.

She almost fled down the street, away from the school, away from the teachers and away from her classmates. Then a white rock flew through the air and his Harmony in the back of her head, not hard enough to make it bleed; just hard enough to make it hurt. She ignored it.

_Not today, NOT today, N O T today. _

she knew perfectly well who was throwing the rocks, as four or five more flew in her direction, and she would get the brat tomorrow.

,, Haha, you're allergic to white!" the thrower of the rocks said, a young boyish voice filling up the street.

_Not today unless he comes closer...! _

Harmony decided. He did.

A small, dark haired boy with huge, brown eyes came running up to Harmony and decided to try and throw the rocks in her face instead of her neck.

,, Haa, Vampire! This is garlic and now you're gonna die!" he laughed and flung another rock at her. But before he could react, Harmony rushed forward and grabbed his neck like he was a kitten. The boy squealed and tried to tear free, but Harmony's nails only dug deeper into his neck.

,, If you ever try anything like that again, you little pest, I'll make sure it'll be the last thing you do!" she hissed into his ear and shoved him away from her, nails leaving deep, bloody lines. The boy yelped and touched the lines in his neck, fingertip's turning red at the touch.

,, I'm telling!" he shouted through teary eyes.

,, Go ahead." Harmony said. The school was by now, emptied of students as well as teachers. The boy turned and ran and Harmony walked to her home, blood boiling in her veins and most of all wanting to turn around and twist the bugger's neck. She had gone from mildly glad to burning hate in seconds, and it would take some time to shake the feeling off again. And, of course, her Walkman was lying in her bag in her room. She suddenly felt sad; you shouldn't be angry on one of the most important nights of your musical passion. When going to a concert, you should only be sad when the encore had been played and you went back to normal.

As Harmony turned a fenced corner and walked deeper into the suburban-like village that was her home, she saw _them _about the same time as they saw _her._ _Them _was some of the family Tara, mother and two children, the farther wasn't with them for once. The mother of the group, Riya, was walking along and pushing a baby trolley, as the youngest member of the little family still was a toddler. Beside her the family's oldest child, Preeti, walked along, jumping in small water puddles and spinning around herself, to see her huge, pink princess dress twirl with her. But when the small girl saw Harmony, she forgot about the puddles and her dress, and ran like a ball of lightning towards the girl. Harmony knew there were no means of escape, and knelt down and held out her arm, as Preeti ran into her hug and wrapped her small arms around her neck.

,, Hey, Preeti...!" she choked through the girls huge, pink winter jacket.

,, Hi, Harmonica!" she giggled. Harmony tried to stand up but Preeti didn't let go that easily. Then Riya walked up, looking so out of place in her huge, warm coloured dress in the crisp, English autumn air.

,, Now, Preeti, let go of her, there's a dear." Preeti did as her mother said and Harmony got up, brushing the worst street dirt of her trousers' knees.

,, Hello, Harmony. Good to see you again."

,, Same here, miss. How's... The family and all?" Riya looked lovingly at her two children.

,, Just perfect... Listen, what are you doing on Friday?"

,, Friday? Uhm... Nothing."

,, How would you like to babysit? Reza and I are going to London to visit some family and parade the baby, and Preeti needs someone to look after her and she only wants' you." Harmony was the family's regular babysitter from time to time. They were always so nice to her and never treated her like she had some life-threatening disease; even her parents did, but not them. They treated her like a human and Harmony always felt better after looking after the young girl.

,, You'll be paid of course, and I'll leave some food for the two of you." had Harmony been in doubt before, it was all gone now; she loved Indian food and, secretly, she preferred Riya's cooking. Her own mother's tasted awfully... French.

,, Sure, I'll loom over her." she smiled.

,, Great, now what have you been eating? You're thin as a stick, dear." Harmony was under the impression that Riya tried to end world hunger, one teenager at the time.

,, I'm fine, just nervous for tonight... Can't really eat, we're going VIP."

,, Oh yes, the concert. Tell me about on Friday, won't you?"

,, Sure." the Tara's never judged her appearance or style and they always seemed interested in a good sort of way. Not her family's _where have you been and with who and why do you listen to that kind of music _and so on.

Then a raindrop fell on Harmony's cheek and she looked up only to get five more in the face.

Then the rain began; falling down in a steady, grey mass. Preeti pulled up her hood and Harmony whished the family goodbye, before running down the streets, getting drenched with every step and not caring at all.

,, I'm home...!" Harmony called and slammed the door. She disregarded her bag and her leather coat and looked at herself in the hallway mirror: her white skin was reddened with the running and the cold air and her dark hair was tousled and wet at the same time.

Now, people like Robert Smith and the Tara family had perfect, pitch black hair, which shone in the light and illuminated in the shadow. Harmony had starling coloured locks, different shades of black and dark brown mixed together in a huge, somehow pretty, somehow ugly mass. Her hair had been cut last week and was now just above her shoulders, perfectly messy. She ran her hands through it a couple of times and made it look like Robert Smith's. She smiled into her reflection.

_Cool. _

her green eyes shone back at her.

She walked into the living room and saw her mother and older brother sitting on the sofa and watching some program about plastic surgery. She twitched at the knife was brought down and sliced open the belly of a young lady.

,, Hi." he brother said.

,, Hey." Harmony replied.

,, How's your day, dear?" her mother asked.

Harmony shrugged.

,, As always... Now, I'm going to change so I'll see you." she said and rushed up the stairs and into the bathroom her and her brother shared, grabbing the clothes she had picked out last night and pulled her old one's off in a hurry. She jumped into her new, a pair of black trousers and a huge, black shirt, which showed most of her collarbone. A phone rang.

Harmony paced out of the bathroom and nearly bumped into her father on the way to her room.

,, Hi, dad. Bye, dad." she said and opened the door to her room.

,, Hi, harmony. How was school?" but Harmony had no time to answer, for she had picked up the phone from her bedside table and now sat on her unmade bed.

,, Hi Harpy." the voice sounded in the phone.

,, Hi Godzilla." she smiled. The voice belonged to Harmony's best friend, Angharrad, who was right now sitting in a hotel in London with her mother. Angharrad's mother arranged concerts, and when the pale, blond girl had heard that their favourite band was going to play in the very capital of their country, she had immediately gotten two ticket's put aside.

,, Are you ready for tonight?"

,, Uh, now you're saying it: No." they laughed, a two-man joke only for them.

,, What are you wearing tonight?" Harmony asked.

,, My grey T-shirt and by black skirt with the fishnet stockings and my all-stars... Oh, and guess who came around last night to talk with mum about the show!"

,, No...!"

,, Oh, yeah! I met them! And we talked like for hours! And I told them I'd be bringing a friend tonight and they gave me _backstage passes_!"

,, What?! If you're lying, I'll punch your face in with a cricket-bat!"

,, For real! Listen, I have to go, the phone's eating all my coins. Call me before you go, okay?"

,, Sure. I'll be seeing you." Harmony put the red phone down and put it back on the table. Then she got up and jumped around in her room, almost tripping over her books and records as she almost ricocheted off the walls.

_Backstage passes! BACKSTAGE PASSES!_

,, Backstage passes!!" she shouted. Then, realisation struck. She was going the meet The Cure; she needed make up! Now!

Back into the bathroom and on with the eyeliner, mascara, more eyeliner, blood shaded lipstick, eyeliner.

,, Harmony, could you come down here for a second?" her mother called. Harmony smudged another layer of lipstick on.

,, One minute!" she called back. She tousled up her hair in an attempt to make it look Cure-like. Then she skipped down the stairs, DM's slamming against the wood. Her parent's were sitting in the living room, looking grave.

,, Guess what? Angharrad got _backstage passes_! I'm going backstage!" she slumped down in an armchair in front of them.

,, I can't wait!" she smiled. Normally, she wasn't like that, but meeting up with her friend and seeing her favourite band live had gotten to her head. Then she saw her parent's stone faces and turned pale.

,, What's wrong?" her mother swallowed and ran a hand over her bleached hair.

,, Uhm, love. Dad and I have decided..." Harmony felt cold. It was never a good thing when they _decided _things.

,,... we have decided that you're not going to that concert tonight." her father finished.

,, What...?!" she croaked. Then she tried again.

,, _What!_" her parent's looked uncomfortable.

,, Well, your father found one of your records..."

,, You've been in _my room!?_" she shouted. They continued, pretending that they hadn't heard her.

,, And we just thought that it wouldn't be a good thing for you to go..."

,, So, you snug into my room... You _stole _my Seventeen Seconds-album..." it had been missing for the last few days, but Harmony had thought it to be under her bed or the wardrobe or somewhere like that.

,,... and then _you _decided that _I _couldn't go to the concert?! And you waited to tell me, till the exact day of the event?!"

,, In a few years, you'll understand sweetie. Right now..."

,, Shut up!" she screamed at her mother. She got up and half ran up the stairs and got her bag, then ran back down stairs and out in the hall.

,, I'll be back tomorrow." she called. Bloody Hell if they thought she'd just nod along and stay in her room. She could crash with Angharrad, sleep on the floor and talk about the concert till the early morning.

But as she swung her coat over her shoulder and grabbed the knob of the door, it was locked. She tried again. Locked.

She rummaged her pockets for the key, but found none. She turned in rage, tears stinging in her eyes.

,, You stole my key! Give it back!" her father came out in the hall, long slightly scared of his 16 years old daughter.

,, Listen, your mom and I are out tonight, we'll be back around midnight. Your brother will stay here and look after you."

,, You mean make sure that I don't crawl out the window." she sniffed, huge tears tumbling down her cheeks, coloured black from her make up.

,, You're allowed to party, but I'm not!" he father reached out so stroked her cheek, but she dodged him like he was on fire.

,, Don't touch me! Don't ever touch me again!" she rushed past him, hugging her bag close to her chest and ran up the stairs with blurred vision.

,, You... you fucking bastards!" she screamed before slamming her bedroom door and turning the key in the lock, before hurling the little piece of metal across the room.

Harmony was lying on her bed, crying silently. She had heard her parents leave half an hour ago and her brother had knocked on her door five minutes ago and announced that dinner was ready. She didn't care.

She replayed the last hour in her head, over and over again, filling up with misery at the very thought. She had called Angharrad and explained that she couldn't come, that she had been locked up in the house by her parents and begged her to go and have a memorable evening. For both of them.

She got up from the messy covers and walked to her record player, turning it on and starting it on one of her favourite songs. She turned up the music and rubbed her sore eyes and left long traces of black on her hand.

'Show me, show me, show me

how you do that trick,

the one that makes me scream'

she said,

' The one that makes me laugh'

she said

and threw her arms around my neck...

She went over to her bookshelf and skimmed the titles, trying to find something to take her mind of her situation.

_Lord of the Rings, Gormenghast, The Works of Charles Dickens, Hamlet, Macbeth, Dracula, Sense and Sensibility, The Howling Miller, The Labyrinth..._

She took the book down from its place and flickered through the pages. It had been _years _since she had read it.

She threw the book on her bed and went to find her key; a book like this required a glass of milk and some cookies.

She snug downstairs and saw that her brother had finished the box of chocolate cookies she had bought and they were out of milk.

_I can't get any worse. _

she thought and walked back upstairs to find Marcus, her brother, standing in her room with _The Labyrinth _in his hands.

,, Get... out." she spat and walked in.

,, And give me that!" she grabbed for the book, but Marcus shoved her away, not even looking up from the pages.

,, You know, you're a fucking freak. Who reads this junk?" Harmony tried to get the book again, but Marcus was on the school's rugby team and she wasn't even good at running in sports. He shoved her aside and began to recite from the book.

,, _And the princess raised her eyes to face the handsome Goblin King, the man who had put her through all the troubles one could imagine and hurt her in ways not possible to understand:_

' _Give me the child_..." the rest was broke of as Harmony grabbed for the book again and, again, was shoved to the side. He thumbed through the pages again.

,, Oh, and listen to this:

' _I wish the goblins would come and take you away... Right now.' _I can't believe this is something you actually read!" he sniggered and threw the book in her face. She grabbed it furiously and shoved it down her back. Marcus walked by and slammed the door as he left the room.

,, Dumb psycho." he mumbled from the other side of the door. Harmony wanted to scream; to scream at the world and at her parents and at her brother and so on. She didn't have the time, though. In the blink of an eye her record player died and the lights in the room followed.

,, What?" it wasn't storming outside, there was no reason for the power to cut.

,, Marcus? Did you do that?" she called.

,, No. Stay put, I'll get some candles." he had softened to her; darkness brought people together.

Then, something grabbed Harmony's ankle and she gave out a shriek and kicked the thing away.

,, Marcus, there's something in my room!" she called, silent panic building up. Marcus didn't answer.

Then her arms were grabbed by an unknown pair of claws and hands and her legs, too. She screamed as she was tugged out in the middle of the room, kick and punching into the thin air, sometimes striking, mostly missing. A thousand voices, all high and screeching like nails on a blackboard and gravel in a blender, screamed and whimpered as she kicked around but no matter how much she fought, she couldn't tear free. Then the darkness of her unlit room closed in, grew thicker, and she fell through shadows, screaming and kicking like a child.


	2. Chapter 2

Welcome to the Labyrinth.

As Harmony opened her eyes once more, she had to squint against the warm light; it had been dark a few seconds ago. She stilled felt the tiny hands around her arms and legs, and she started her fight again, hurling little balls of fur and scales and feathers and a mix of all three through the air.

,, Let... go of me!" she shouted and tore free from the claws and got to her feet.

She was standing in a huge room, with walls painted golden by the light of a crystal window, showing a huge and purely odd city below. The floor was of stamped clay and it was crammed with little creatures, of every manner. They all looked like the things you imagined under your bed at night-time, red and amber eyes and rat-like teeth. They were all laughing or grinning and she found herself gritting her teeth to the sound. One of them, a scaly and furry thing with a small helmet on its head and a uniform made out of canvas, stepped closer and grabbed her bootlaces. In return, she kicked it across the room. It flew into the wall and landed in an open wine barrel. The other creatures laughed and she covered her ears, trying to find somewhere where she would be safe from the beasts. By the opposite wall stood a huge throne, with purple velvet cushions and gold painted details. It stood on a raised point on the floor, up two small steps, in a big circle. The creatures kept away from the circle.

Forcing her way through the creepy things, kicking and punching at some of the time, trying to ignore the constant laughter and screaming from the things, and stumbled up the small steps. Her heart raced in her chest and she wanted to scream and cry, but she just collapsed on the floor, huddling up beside the throne and wrapping her arms around her knees. She stared out at the laughing mass of monsters, noticing that the majority weren't even paying attention to her; they were too busy drinking or eating or both. She sniffed and wished that she were at the concert now.

A crystal ball came rolling across the floor, the creatures moved or lifted their foot to let it pass. It rolled up to the steps of the throne and rolled up of them; not jumping from step to step, just ignoring the gravity and rolling up of the vertical sides. It rolled up to Harmony's toes and continued up her boots. She looked at it in amazement; in this horrible and weird place, it seemed so clean and... out of place, in this dusty and grubby room. When the crystal reached her knees, she held out her cupped hands and it rolled into her grasp.

,, Wauw..." she couldn't help utter. The ball began to shine with a faint light and she looked into the centre of the light.

She saw Marcus, standing in their living room, fists clenched, looking angrily at... someone, who had his back turned to Harmony's view of the scene. The man wore a long, dark blue cape, with glimmering lights in the folds and had blond, on the brink of white hair.

_,, Who the Hell are you, mate?" _Marcus asked. The stranger's shoulders shook lightly as he chuckled.

_,, Didn't you have other plans for tonight? Something more interesting than taking care of your silly sister?"_ Marcus' eyes flashed for a second. Yes, he had had more important thing in mind for the night.

_,, What have you done to her?" _he spat.

_,, Nothing, nothing. But, wouldn't it be much better, if you never had to care for your embarrassing sibling any longer? You could do what you want, and you would never be humiliated by your friends when she walked by." _the stranger held up a gloved hand and a crystal ball, exact to the one Harmony held, materialised.

_,, I have brought you this: don't you want to know your dreams? Exactly what you want, when you want it?" _Marcus looked at the thing, hungrily.

_,, What's the prize of that?" _he croaked.

No! He couldn't serious! A stupid toy rather than his own sister?!

,, Marcus! Don't you dare!" harmony hissed. 

_,, Oh, not anything you'll miss..." _the stranger said.

_,,... Just take it, and it will be yours." _ Harmony could feel her heart slamming her ribs into sore shards of bone.

,, No Marcus, please don't...!" she whispered and watched the scenario in horror. Marcus thought about it for a moment, then reached out and took the crystal from the stranger's hand. The light faded and Harmony sat left behind with a useless crystal ball.

,, You stupid, useless, scatterbrained..." Harmony whispered each word with difficulty; it simply hurt too much to think of.

,,... worthless, arrogant, slimy..." she slowly stood up, clutching the crystal in her right hand.

,,.... treacherous... _COWARD!" _she cried out the last word, like a wolf when wounded might sound, as she flung the crystal of all her might into the nearest wall, making it shatter in a rain of sharp fragments of Harmony's hope.

,, _I hate you!" _she screamed and wrapped her arms around herself and fell to her knees, sobbing silently. She hadn't read the book for years, but she knew what it had meant, when Marcus had accepted the crystal. She blinked some tears away and looked at the nearest goblins, which had turned to look at the girl, some looking sadistic, some frightened, and some sad.

,, What are you staring at?!" she shouted and the creatures quickly turned back to their respective drinking or eating jobs.

,, Bastards..." she sniffed, not really knowing if she meant the creatures, goblins if she was where she thought she was, or her family. Then she huddled down beside the throne once more.

,, Fuck..." she whispered as the tears stung in her eyes and she rubbed them away.

,, Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..." she sniffed and cradled her head in her arms and rested her forehead on her knees. What should she do now?

A flutter of wings sounded and Harmony looked out from between her locks of tousled hair and saw a flustering ghost flying around the room, before settling at the armrest above her head. An owl.

A beautiful, silk-feathered barn owl with two pools of pitch-black darkness for eyes. They looked like the deep shadows you mistook for a stranger when you walked home alone. It tilted its head and blinked. Harmony looked back at the bird and felt a small connection with it; it looked about as much out of place here as she did. Like when you drop a dot of ink on a white paper.

,, Hello..." she said. She was far above the age of talking to animals, but she sometimes forgot she was 16 and could throw a friendly word in her cat's direction. Or in this case, owl's.

The owl jumped to the one side of the armrest in the way birds do, and was now closer to Harmony. She reached out and stroked the soft feathers on the bird's head, the owl leaning in to her touch and drying of the tears she had on her hand.

,, Aren't you a little out of place?" she asked and stroked the bird's chest with her knuckles. In reply, the bird swooped into the air and flew around in the crowded room. She tried to follow the ghostly creature with her eyes, but is disappeared.

,, So much for that..." she sighed and leaned back on the leg of the throne.

First thing, she had to get out of here. If this were anything like her book, she would prefer to get as far away from this place as possible. Hadn't there been something about the owl in the castle in her book? Something to do with the Goblin King? Speaking of the Devil, where was the so-called '_ handsome Goblin King_'? Considering where she was, Harmony began to see _handsome _as something relative. Looking out over the screaming, roaring mass of the monsters, _handsome _could really be anything.

Then the huge double doors at the other side of the room swung open and the Goblin King strode in. The goblins near him parted and let him pass, an aura of fear and fear-related respect oozed from him. Harmony's jaw dropped slightly: he was nothing like she had imagined him. He was that, times thousands.

He wore the midnight-sky coloured cape she had seen through the crystal. He wore a black vest over a white silk shirt, the kind princes in faerietales had. He had black tight-like trousers and had slim, dark grey boots, which ended below the knees.

His hair was whitely blond, cut in the strangest haircut, with straws of glitter and dark blue streaks. As he swaggered to the throne Harmony saw that his eyes had been painted, or tattooed or maybe he had been born like this, so they looked ever looming. She swallowed.

He strode up the steps and walked to Harmony's sitting figure. He reached down a gloved hand.

,, It's Harmony, if I am not mistaken?" he said, his voice sounded like those rainy days where you walked through the streets and spun around and laughed. She gave out a small croak and nodded. She didn't take his hand; when she had been four, she had seen the glowing embers in the pulsing fire her brother had lit in the garden and thought them beautiful. She had reached in and grabbed one of the orange gems and had screamed and cried when the fire burnt through her thin skin. She still had a circular scar in her right palm as she used it as a permanent reminder; _maybe it was beautiful, but it could still hurt you._

She looked up in the stranger's mismatched eyes, and then looked at her unclenching right hand.

_Deeply. _

,, Harmony it is, sir..."she said and closed her hand again.

,,... And who might you be?" if his name was like the king's in the book, she had to get out. In a hurry.

,, Who I am? Who _I am?_" he said amused, resting his hands on his hips in a mocking kind of way. He said it loudly and the room of goblins burst into laughter. He smiled like a shark and tilted his head.

,, Quiet." he said and the room silenced, so you could hear the beating of Harmony's heart. Harmony could, anyway. He reached a hand back down and after some time, she took it and he helped her to her feet.

,, My, you must be our oldest person yet..." he said, not letting go of her hand.

,, Congratulations." she swallowed again.

,, Where is this place? Where am I?" she asked, hoping that her heart didn't beat too fast.

,, This is my Goblin Court..." he waved a hand to the room.

,,... out there..." he pointed to the window.

,,... is the Goblin City, and beyond that..." Harmony already knew; she had been hurled into something that she had thought inked words on paper. Into what she had always wished for.

,,... is my Labyrinth." she was shaking now. He let go of her hand and it fell down her side and she quivered like a reed in autumn breeze as she looked around the court.

,, Then... You must be the Goblin King... And... And since my brother won't come to save me... I.... You will turn me into a goblin...?" it wasn't a statement and it wasn't a question. Harmony looked at the creatures; how many of them had started as plump babies, lost, traded, sold or forgotten by their siblings and parents?

The king didn't answer; he just smirked. He held up his hand and another crystal appeared out of nowhere. He began to move his hands in wave-like motions, the crystal moving from hand to hand in a magic pace, Harmony looking at it like she was witnessing something historical.

,, In time, yes." he said and simpered at the girl's eyes moving with the crystal. Then she shook her head and looked at him, eyes green like grass at late summer.

,, Do you like to play games?" she asked, not using his title. Then of course, silly girl like her; this was most likely her first visit to a court.

,, Games?" he raised an eyebrow.

,, Yes, games. I would like to challenge you, Goblin King, to a little contest." oh, this girl was one of the interesting ones; she had something flinty about her.

,, And that would be?" she licked her lips, last traces of lipstick getting on her tongue, making the tip look red.

,, I bet I can solve your Labyrinth." she said in a cool voice. Some of the goblins laughed but when their king turned his head and his eyes burned at them they silenced. He turned back to the girl.

,, And if I win?" he asked in his smooth voice.

,, Then... I will stay in this place and let you turn me into a goblin."

,, I could do that right now." he said, leaning closer to her figure. He was tall; there was about a head and a half between them.

,, Yes, but what's fun about that?" she asked, lips curling into a slight hint of a smile. He smiled back; she got the point.

Or maybe she just knew his weak point and had decided to use it against him.

,, And if you win?" she looked hesitantly for a second.

,, Then I can go freely back to..."

_My home_

,,... England, and you will grant me one wish." he chuckled slightly.

,, So, you go free _and _get a wish?"

,, Or I get to stay here _and _turn into a goblin." clever thing. He might even get to enjoy this little pastime diversion. He thought about it for some time.

,, Thirteen hours, no guarantee of safety along your way. If you give up, then just say my name and I will stop the game." he said it with a almost unnoticeable inkling of rhythm, like it was a song or a spoken-word poem. But Harmony had developed an ear for music and she detected the silent pulse in his words. He waved his hand and a big, gold ornamented clock appeared beside him, floating in the thin air. The clock had black numbers painted along the trim; thirteen hours to solve a puzzle. Easy.

The crystal window opened and he pointed to a small balcony, which hadn't been there last time Harmony looked.

,, Go out there." he said and she did, letting the goblins gawk at her as she walked by, the king trailing behind. She walked out on the terrace and looked out over the City and the Labyrinth behind it and her hopes sank; it was _enormous_! How could she ever reach the other end?

But, she decided, better to touch the ember and burn, than never touch unalloyed fire at all.

,, When will the clock start?" she asked as the king came up behind her and she gave a small shudder, as his breath could be felt on her hair.

,, When you set a foot outside the City." he said. She swallowed.

,, And your name? If I need it?" in the old faerietales, it was considered dangerous to give your name to another person; names have power and the person would have control over the person, whose name he or she owned.

,, Oh, you'll find out in time." he said. She wanted to reason with him and get his name now, but something in his voce told her it would be like chasing a rainbow.

,, When do I leave?" she asked and rested her hands to the smooth rock of the balcony. He placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

,, Now." then he pushed Harmony over the edge and she was sent tumbling and cursing and screaming, to the ground far below.


	3. Chapter 3

What's in a name?

Harmony exclaimed as the air was knocked from her lungs as a pair of slender built arms grabbed her, belonging to the Goblin King who had materialised at the bottom of the tower from where she had been shoved. She began to fight and squirm in his grasp, her heart racing from the sudden fall.

,, Put me down, you creep...!" she hissed and he let go of her, first easing her legs down so her feet touched the ground and then let go of her shoulders. She moved swiftly away from him, cheeks burning with rage and embarrassment. He had held her in his arms... Like they were friends... Or more.

,, That... was... not... funny!" she spat. He let out a small chuckle.

,, On the contrary, I found it most entertaining." she felt a sudden urge to stick out her tongue and be mean and childish and somehow get back at him. She was _angry!_

,, Don't they have stairs around here?" she raged.

,, Not anyone you would be able to place your pretty little feet on. It takes some skills. And wings." she turned on her heel and walked to the city.

,, Where are you going?" he called with a small smile in his voice.

,, The gates. The sooner I get out into the Labyrinth, the sooner I get away from you and this place." the Goblin City was deserted and silent. It was build after crooked angles and narrow streets wound around and through it like worms. Harmony shuddered and walked on. She reached the massive gates to the city, opened ever so slightly for one small person like herself to step out and into the Labyrinth.

,, Tick, tick, Harmony." she turned and the Goblin King stood behind her, the golden clock hanging in the air beside him.

,, You can still turn back, if you wish." she looked at the big castle behind him, a permanent guardian for the small city. She then turned and looked at the darkness beyond the gates.

,, I'll be seeing you by the exit." she gave a small nod and walked out of the gates. A silent ticking of the clock began in her ears. Harmony swallowed and looked around; it seemed like an ordinary labyrinth to her. Turn left, turn right, dead end; turn around. She had read or heard or seen somewhere, that when you find yourself in a labyrinth, you should place a hand on the left wall and follow the direction, never letting your hand of the wall.

_Why not?_

The rough stones felt real under her fingers, cool and mossy. Harmony began walking, heart beating in her chest; she really, really, REALLY didn't want to be a goblin. Since birth, children always wanted to be taller. She didn't wish to see her well-earned five foot eight become two foot ten.

Harmony looked around again; the Labyrinth had stairs, going up on her left and down on her right. Stairs?

_Strange place this is... Had I more time, I'd come back and explore. _

She picked the stairs that went up and found herself in a small garden, with marble statues and butterflies fluttering about.

_Weird. _

The garden was sunny. Harmony felt dizzy with the alterations in her rhythm; she was set on evening, here it was midday. She waved a hand at a big, orange butterfly, which had flown up close, and she walked through the garden, her boots sinking slightly in the dewy grass. The garden had a marble arch for exit and Harmony walked for it in a fast pace, hoping she would get through the Labyrinth in a hurry. Well out on the other side, she placed a hand on the wall again and began walking again.

*

In the throne room of the goblin castle, Jareth sat with a crystal in his velvet-clad hand and looked at the tousled Harmony, walking through his Labyrinth, eyes darting and trying to figure out exactly _how._

Well, she certainly was good at tempting; it had been some time, one year actually, since he had gamed in the Labyrinth. Last time had been with...

He sighed.

Sarah.

That was why he had liked Harmony; she had green eyes, just like Sarah.

Then the Goblin King shook the feeling off him; he couldn't miss her, she was a _mortal! _

In the crystal, Harmony reached a dead end. Then, she committed her first mistake; she took her hand of the wall and ran it through her hair, thinking of which way she should choose when she turned back. Jareth's cold grin grew slightly bigger as he waved his hand. Around him, a few goblins edged closer, wanting to follow the girl through the crystal as well.

Without looking at the wall, Harmony reached out to place her hand on it once again and almost tripped as her hand touched nothing but air; where there before had been massive wall, there now was an arching doorway.

_,, What?" _Harmony mumbled and looked around, as if she wanted to find the person who had rearranged the wall.

,, Go on, my dear." Jareth said.

,, Walk through it." the goblins around him began whispering, murmuring small ' go on's ' to Harmony, who was oblivious of the fact that she was being watched.

Harmony looked at the dark arch, then shook her head and turned back the way she had come.

,, No, not the right path." the Goblin King continued. He waved his hand once again and watched as Harmony walked into a huge wall, that hadn't been there half a step ago.

_,, Aw, come on...!" _Harmony turned and her green eyes scouted the walls.

_,, When I get my hands on you..." _she hissed, Jareth knowing perfectly she couldn't see him but again, knowing perfectly who she was talking to.

_,,... I'll make sure they'll call you the Goblin Queen from then on."_ she threatened as she walked to the archway and looked into the shadows, before taking a small step into the darkness.

_,, Who the Hell wears tights, anyway? If you're straight, then I'm Madonna." _the goblins sniggered, but when Jareth turned his head and looked mismatched daggers and them, they shut up.

*

,, One is for sorrow, two is for joy..." Harmony's voice sounded so abandoned, but she liked listening to the echo; it calmed her.

,,... Three is for a girl, four for a boy..." she was now walking in a damp and mossy part of the Labyrinth, feeling slightly locked up in the narrow corridors.

,,... Five is for silver, six is for gold..." when she got hold of that popinjay "king", she would personally rearrange his teeth in the same way he had rearranged the Labyrinth.

,,... And seven..." she stood at a crossroad and chose right.

,,... Seven is for secrets never to be told..." she looked around. What to do now? She didn't even know if she was walking the right way, she could have lost herself in the Labyrinth and walk around in the wrong direction for the next... How much time did she have left?

_What would a smart person do now? _Harmony didn't really know how to define 'a smart person', she had never met that many. She made a mental list of the one's she knew.

_Shakespeare..._

_Robert Smith..._

_Mervyn Peake... Peake... Gormenghast... Gormenghast... Steerpike, of course!_

She looked at the walls; old and missing bricks several places, and some of them were covered in dark green vines. Harmony walked to them, and, like Steerpike, she began climbing the vines.

Her boots weren't good at climbing, but they were great at standing their ground in the holes left by the bricks; her knuckles were scraped and began bleeding as she crawled to the top of the wall, but after what felt like an hour, she made it.

She swung herself up onto the wall and sighed, too tired to sit up.

_Made it, at least..._ with what felt like all her power, she forced herself to sit up; the castle rose to the sky at her left and the right part of her vision was cleared; the way out had to be in that direction. She stood up on the wall and began walking, ignoring the rules of how one usually walked through a labyrinth.

_Usually _being the operative word; this wasn't a labyrinth. It was The Labyrinth.

,, Ruled by a pillock dressed like a mad peacock." Harmony mumbled to herself as she walked down right, towards the exit and her ticket back to England. She was so optimistic, she even began pondering what wish the king should grant for her.

*

_,,... dressed like a mad peacock." _Harmony's words flowed through the throne room and some of the goblins burst out laughing; others cowered in fear of their master's rage. Jareth sat with his perfect lips tightly pursed, wondering how he best could get back at the minx. He looked at her, walking on the walls of his Labyrinth, arms held out at her sides, partly for balance, partly for fun.

Then he got it. The goblins all silenced when they saw the icy grin creep over the Goblin King's face.

*

Harmony balanced along the Labyrinth's walls, the scenery below her changing with every few metres. Now, on her left, about 30 feet down, a huge grey bog was, disgusting steams and fumes rising up and burning in her nose; the smell was so sickening that Harmony was glad that she had skipped dinner.

,, What the Hell is this...?" she croaked, feeling her insides turn and bile gather in her mouth.

,, The Bog of Eternal Stench." someone answered, Harmony almost falling into the bog in shock of the voice. She looked down; below, sitting on a small throne made from moss and stones, sat... something. A small, brown creature, dressed in strange clothes and... Something that looked like jewellery, but Harmony couldn't tell. On its head sat a crown, made out of tin, and it looked at Harmony with sad, blue eyes.

,, Oh... Hello... I didn't see you." Harmony said.

,, Course you didn't." the thing said, its voice insulting, like it was too good to talk to Harmony.

,, What did you say this is called?" she asked, ignoring the tone of its voice.

,, It's The Bog of Eternal Stench, if you have failed to notice." it grumbled.

,, Yes, I can smell that..." her eyes watered at the stink.

,, What are you dong up there?" the thing asked.

,, I've made a bet with the popinjay who owns this thing." she answered.

,, My name's Harmony." she sat down and swung her legs out over the wall.

,, Who are you? And why are you sitting here?" she would gladly cut off her own nose and burn it, just to get rid of the stench.

,, I'm Hoggle. And I sit down 'ere, because I'm a prince." he said sadly and tilted his crown.

,, That doesn't make any sense." Harmony said, looking down at Hoggle between the toes of her boots.

,, It does all right.

You see, I've been made Prince of The Land of Stench by Jareth. And I am to sit here until further notice."

_Jareth... _the name sounded familiar.

,, Who's that? The person you talked about." if Jareth was the king, which she suspected deeply from the book, but it had been such a long time since she had read it, so he could be anyone. She didn't say his name in fear of him mistaking it and thinking that Harmony wanted to stop the game.

,, Jareth? He's the person in control 'round here. He's the king." his eyes squinted at Harmony.

,, Thought you'd know." she shrugged.

,, Well, I don't."

_Jareth, the Goblin King. _she memorized the words.

,, So, you lookin' for your sister or your brother?" Hoggle asked.

,, None, I'm trying to find the way out." Hoggle looked confused at her.

,, I'm one of the siblings wished away; I just didn't bother to sit around and wait to be turned into a goblin. I've got thirteen hours to solve this thing, so if you could point me to a quick way out, I'd be really grateful."

,, You got any plastic?" he asked, eyes shining. Harmony raised her brows.

,, Uhm, no..." she looked at the jewellery the dwarf was wearing.

,, You like shining things, right?" Hoggle looked like and exited child.

,, You got any?" Harmony rummaged through her pockets and pulled out the key to her room.

,, I've got this." she said and held it up, making the key glisten in the light. Hoggle looked enthralled at it. Harmony smiled.

,, I will give you this if you can tell me a fast way out. Deal?" the dwarf nodded.

,, The key first." he said.

,, The route first." Harmony demanded.

,, That's not fair! I'm the one helping you."

,, No, I'm paying for this. When you go to a restaurant, you get the food first and pay later." she said, twisting her hand so the key shone into Hoggle's eyes. The dwarf looked angry and confused, but then it nodded and sighed.

,, Oh, all right. You walk on down, till you reach a crossroad, then turn right. Keep on turning right the first thirteen times, then turn left thirteen times. Then right again, then left." Harmony smiled.

,, Thanks, Hoggle, you're the best." she threw the key down to him and in landed in the dust; he got up from his throne and took it, tying it with skill to a plastic bracelet he was wearing. Harmony stood up and took some pink plastic necklaces out of her back pocket and threw them down at Hoggle, too. The necklaces were a gift from Preeti, but Harmony had never worn them.

,, You can have these, too." she said. Hoggle looked at the necklaces like they were of gold and diamonds.

,, You said you didn't have any plastic...!" he said and wrapped the necklaces around his arms.

,, To me, that's not plastic; it's necklaces, to the Devils with the material." she began walking.

,, Goodbye, Hoggle. Hope I'll see you again." she called. And then she walked on, almost singing of joy; this was much more entertaining than a concert!

**Awfully sorry about the update! **

**And thank you for the reviews; It really makes it easier writing when you've read them:D**


	4. Chapter 4

Illusions.

,, You did what?" Hoggle felt unbelievably small when Jareth stood in front of him, eyes burning like jewels tossed on the fire. The Goblin King had changed outfits, he did that often, and was now wearing a dark green jacket over his shirt, and his trousers were now a dusty grey. His cape was gone.

,, Uh, well, I showed 'er a way out." Hoggle croaked.

,, Aren't I supposed to do that? Show people back to the start?"

,, Not. Her." Jareth growled.

,, What did she give you?" he asked, looking at the pink plastic, trailing along the dwarf's arms.

,, Just some necklaces." Hoggle said, hoping that Jareth wouldn't ruin his gifts from Harmony. She had been nice to him, even if it was to get to know a way out. She had reminded him of Sarah, another generally nice human girl.

,, Wobble,"

,, Hoggle."

,, when this is over, you and I are going to have a long talk about the values of a word contra plastic. And believe me, when I say it is not going to be a pleasant one." without a word of goodbye, Jareth turned and was gone, leaving behind a silvery trail of glitter.

*

Harmony walked right for the twelfth time, still balancing on the ever-changing walls of the Labyrinth. She preferred to stay at the top, a little way away from what might lurk below. She was now walking on smooth, cream coloured marble, carefully walking along so she wouldn't trip and tumble down.

,, Now, that's cheating." a smooth voice said and the marble under Harmony's boots quivered and crumbled and she fell screeching to the ground, landing quite painfully on her right arm, small pebbles of broken marble raining down over her like hail.

,, Ow." she bit and sat up; the Goblin King, Jareth, was standing a few feet away, arms crossed and leering at Harmony. She glared at him and got to her feet, dusting off her shirt with angry movements of her arms.

,, Enjoying the scenery, I take it?" he asked, still smiling. She looked at him, standing and watching her, knowing he knew something she did not.

,, Enjoyed." she said and began walking, using all her will power to turn her back to the Goblin King. However, she almost bumped into him, as he now was in front of her. She shot back and pressed herself up against the marble wall, as Jareth walked closer, that cold, playful smile always twinkling at the corner of his mouth.

,, Harmony, are you sure you want to go through this? " he asked, placing a hand on the wall beside her, cutting her off. They were now painfully close; Harmony could smell him. He had a soft scent, of rain and cool nights and dewy grass. Of magic and morning sun.

Jareth, on the other hand, smelled her almost outworn make-up, dark tea, dust from her room, a subtle hint of her white musk perfume on her sweet neck, and underneath that, her real scent, vanilla mixed with the soft smell of her hair.

,, You could stop the game right now. And you wouldn't have to go through all this trouble." Harmony's hands clenched into fists, like she was trying to convince herself that she was stronger than him.

,, No." was all she said. He smiled comfortingly at her and moved his hand, from the wall to her chin, his dark grey glove was softer than velvet, but stronger than silk. He tilted her head slightly and his eyes locked in hers.

,, Are you sure?" his voice sounded like a breeze in the spring. Harmony's blood froze and her heart pounded like a drum.

,, Yes." she said and blinked and shook her head, trying to rid herself of his eyes.

,, You are absolutely sure?" the king continued, his voice barely a whisper, leaning closer to her and holding her head in place, more with his eyes than his hand.

_Don't! _Harmony's mind screamed.

_He's doing it to make you stop! Don't trust him! _

,, Yes..." she said, but she herself could hardly hear the word.

,, Harmony..." her name sounded so magical when he said it.

,,... no one says that I _have _to turn you into a goblin." a flame of reason was burning inside Harmony's chest, but out of curiosity, she wanted to know more,

,, Then, what would I be? If I gave up now?" that smile again, softer this time.

,, Do I even have to tell you?" he whispered and as he talked, he leaned close so his lips grazed hers when he spoke. Harmony's hands unclenched and she began to relax as Jareth's fingers softly stroked her lips in smooth movements, luring her closer to the answer he wished to hear.

Then she lifted her right hand in a swift movement and Harmony slapped the Goblin King across the face, putting all her weight and strength and silent yearning for answering him into her blow, and the sound echoed in the Labyrinth. Jareth stepped away form her, the contact between their eyes broke, and held a hand to his cheek, which had already begun turning red, a clear print of Harmony's five fingers already showing. Harmony bit her lip and wished she knew a place where she could hide. Jareth looked at her again, but this time all kindness was gone. He looked like he was seconds away from twisting her neck.

,, Quite a foolish thing to do, Harmony." he hissed. Harmony didn't answer, she just ran, the long passage without a place to hide, but she could hide by the exit. She thought that Jareth might follow her, but instead, a crystal ball flew past her and broke to shreds against the marble floor in front of her. The glitter and shards changed and before Harmony could even slow down, she ran head first into a large spider web, getting stuck immediately and screamed and fought as the silvery threads clung to her hair, her clothes, her legs, her boots, her eyes. Then, a sudden sting of pain in her left hand and everything went blurry. Her movements became more clumsy and slow and Harmony was tilted down into the darkness when she passed out, her feet dangling about one foot above ground.

***

Harmony shot up in the bed, gasping for air and clutching the sheets like they were the only things she could rely on. Where was she?

A table lamp got turned on and the pale face of Angharrad emerged from the shadows, her blond hair falling down over her eyes in fine ropes.

,, Harmony? Bad dream?" she mumbled and sat up in her bed, stretching wildly. Harmony ran a hand through her hair.

,, You have no idea." Angharrad got up and walked to the window, pulling the curtains in a swift movement and regretting it the same second.

,, OW, daylight...!" she covered her eyes and stumbled dramatically back into the hotel room, looking like Dracula always did in the movies when the sunlight hit him. Harmony smiled at her friend and began pulling on her scrunched clothes, all of it resting safely in the foot of the bed. Last night had been so cool.

Not only had she seen The Cure, she had met The Cure! They had talked for most of the night, Angharrad and Harmony telling where they came from and their likes and dislikes, just like they were friends. It had been the best night of her life.

,, So, you up for breakfast?" Angharrad asked, her thick accent covering every word in a layer of Welsh. She tied her hair up in a ponytail and Harmony pulled her boots on, trying to remember how they had gotten from the concert to the hotel.

,, Always." she said and stood up, suddenly remembering that they had travelled by Tube. Sure, how could she have forgotten that?

The two girls walked down the carpeted stairs to the lobby and found the way to the restaurant. The two girls took some plates and began filling them with food from the buffet. They sat down at a two-man's table and began eating in that kind of silence people found themselves in, when they had stayed up most of the night, watching their favourite band rocking their world.

,, So..." Angharrad munched in between bites of toast, making crumbs fly across the table.

,,... what was your dream about? One of those where you are afraid of something rational, or were you hunted around by a big hamster or something like that?"

,, A guy dressed like a parrot, a labyrinth filled with goblins and a huge web I tripped into." Harmony gulped down her juice and took another bite of the scrambled eggs on her plate.

,, Did we drink last night? My head feels like it's gone through a blender." Harmony groaned and rested her head on her hand. She felt the room spin around and tried to focus on something, but it was all a big blur.

,, I think we had some vodka." Angharrad said.

,, I did." and it was about here Harmony noticed, that something was wrong. Angharrad suffered from latex allergy, crossed with the allergy of certain vegetables, including potatoes, so she never dared drinking vodka. And Harmony hated the taste of the stuff.

,, You did?" Harmony asked. Angharrad turned pale.

,, No, God I'm so stupid, of course I didn't." she said and laughed, nervously. Harmony's eyes narrowed and she felt cold and clammy when she realised she wasn't out. But she didn't say anything.

,, Didn't you get your ears pierced last week?" she said, sipping her tea and looking at "Angharrad" with unblinking eyes. Angharrad ran her hands over her ears, brushing away some loose strands of hair and proudly presented a set of pearly earrings, exact copies of the ones Harmony imagined in her head, which hadn't been there before.

,, Aren't they cool?" "Angharrad" smiled.

,, I thought you hated pearls." Harmony sighed and leaned back in the chair.

,, I do." "Angharrad" said and shook her head, making the diamond earrings glisten in the weak light from the dying lamps above their heads. Harmony let out a deep sigh; it would have been so much simpler if this were the real thing. She got up and brushed away some crumbs from her shirt, also covered in a fine, powdery layer of marble and turned her back at "Angharrad".

,, Where are you going?" her fake friend asked.

,, The exit." Harmony said simply.

,, This isn't real and you're not Angharrad...

Nice talking to you, anyway." she said and walked on, the world around her crumbling and before she knew of it, she opened her eyes.

***

In the throne room, the group of goblins watching Harmony had grown exceedingly bigger. Jareth sat with the crystal, looking at the same illusion as Harmony, looking at it crumbling away. The girl woke with a small gasp and began twisting in the web, her boots inching their way to the ground. When they touched, she pulled herself backwards fighting against the silvery threads. They snapped and she tumbled backwards, the web already turning to glitter before her.

The Goblin King was not amused.

*

Harmony stood up, the web turning to dust and glitter in her hair, and twitched; that had been uncomfortable.

Something moved under her shirt and crawled out of her sleeve; a little crystal spider, with a vivid green fluid flowing inside it. She cursed and shook her arm and made the spider fall to the ground with a small '_plink_' and, determined like none other, hammered her boot down over it, making the crystal crunch beneath the sole. She made a face.

It had been REALLY uncomfortable. She shivered, the memory of her dizziness in the illusion slowing flowing to the surface and making sense; that little spider had been digging through her mind, piecing together information like a psychologist and building up a blurry world for Harmony. Taking basic things and turning them into what she knew.

She felt her guts turning as she began walking on, remembering the cold feeling of the little creep's crystal legs against her skin.

,, Amongst all the things I hate, spiders are on my top ten...!" she mumbled and walked faster, the thirteenth corner right in front of her.

,, Spiders, and rainbow coloured monarchs with a fetish for crystals...!"


	5. Chapter 5

Fear.

Jareth looked at Harmony through the crystal, the girl walking the Labyrinth in silence. He tightened his lips as she turned left, again. The girl now looked even more untidy than she had when the game started; her clothes were dirty and the glitter from the web clung to her hair and eyelashes. Her make-up was gone, except some shadowy shades of black on her cheeks, and her eyes looked tired.

She annoyed him. There was still plenty of time left and she was almost halfway, shortcuts told to her by the little dwarf, Hegla, had eased her journey through what should have been a difficult quest. She hadn't even been slowed down by one of his spiders!

Usually, he didn't use the spiders on one of his gamers; where other illusions he could manifest were only meant to slow them down, the spiders could actually hurt them. The poison they carried could capture their victims in their dreams forever, the same images playing over and over again.

The goblins whispered amongst themselves; had their king grown weak since the other green-eyed girl last year? He knew they had begun to question his abilities to rule them? Not that they could do anything about it, but still...

When Harmony failed, he wouldn't turn her into a goblin right away. First, she could serve him in her human form, wandering around his castle and doing what she was told to, making his bed, polishing his boots, kissing his feet. Not metaphorical, she would actually kiss his feet. He could already see her, kneeling down before his throne, head bent in shame, her lips moving down to the toe of his boot. First time, he decided, he would kick out after her, just so she could understand what happened to people who dared to call him a popinjay. The thought made him smile.

He would attire her in a maiden's dress, maybe of sackcloth, making her blend in with his other goblin servants.

He looked at her in the crystal as she knelt down to lace her boot.

He would probably burn the clothes she was wearing now; she looked positively laughable, that shirt was far too big for her and her boots, too. As the fashion went these days among the humans, she could wear the shirt with some pantyhose's as a dress, it reached just above her knees, hanging loosely around her thighs. When her arms were down at her sides, her hands weren't even visible...!

He let out a mocking sniff; and she thought _him _to be a foolish dresser!

He had now changed again and now wore his favorite garments, his white shirt with the flowing sleeves, gathered at the cuffs, with the low cut at the chest, so the most of his chest was showing. Over it, he wore his black vest with the equally low cut. His trousers were now the grey pair with the marbled black lines, like and old painting cracking so the dark canvas could be seen under the paint. His gloves and boots were now black and made of the softest, strongest leather imaginable. He sat perched in his throne, one leg resting over the armrest, one of his favorite positions, and held the crystal still as a statue in his hand. The goblins around him sat as silent as they could be, squinting at Harmony with their little bead eyes.

_Now... _he thought.

_Now, it is time to forget you, little Harmony. _

*

Left for the thirteenth time. Harmony didn't know how many hours she had left, but she couldn't help feeling triumphant. Maybe she would wish that king Jareth turned into a frog...? No, frogs were cute. A slug, maybe. The Goblin Slug, it sounded good.

,, He's certainly slimy enough...!" she couldn't help utter as she reached the next, five pointed crossroad and chose the one furthest to the right. Here, the walls were tangled in ivy, not strong enough to carry her, and the stones had the colour of lapis lazuli. Quite beautiful, actually, even though she wasn't there to look at architecture. She began to relax, as much as one could in her situation, and could almost hear the Goblin King, kicking himself for watching her walk through his Labyrinth, unharmed. Then, a low rumble sounded, like distant thunder.

Harmony looked up to the sunny skies and found no sign of grey clouds. The rumbling sounded again, louder this time, and the grey tiles under her feet trembled. She looked down and saw the ground shake and cave.

,, Shit...!" she hissed and the tiles cracked under her and she tumbled down, to surprised to scream. She landed on an uneven slide of earth and rolled down, dirt getting into her eyes and mouth, vertiginous spins around herself making her want to vomit. She hit the ground after what felt like days, but were actually only seconds, and knocked her head against the clay-like terra firma. The lights in her head went out and Harmony followed them.

*

The sea of goblins in the room screeched in triumph; the girl was in an oubliette!

Jareth smiled coldly. He would like to see how she managed to get out of that.

Oubliette; rooting in the word 'oublier', meaning 'to forget'. Harmony was forgotten now, he would himself "forget" her until the time had run out. Jareth leaned back in the throne and huddled down in it, smirking like a cat.

Now, he would enjoy the show.

*

Harmony's eyelids fluttered open and she winced; her head hurt.

How long had she been sleeping?! It could have been hours, she could have minutes left until the game was over...!

She felt cold earth under her cheek and palms of her hands, as she forced herself to sit up. She touched her forehead and cursed in pain; above her right eye, a sore, and probably heavily bruised, cut throbbed.

,, Great." she mumbled and got to her knees.

,, Just fucking great..!" where the Hell were she now? She reached out, so not to bump into anything when she walked, but touched a cold, damp earth wall right away. She swore and turned, but found a wall just behind her as well. After a panicked stumbling about, she found that the place where she had fallen from was gone and she was standing in a small space, which smelt of the earth, just big enough for her to stand in, not being able to stretch her arms fully.

,, Fuck." she gasped, hands roaming insanely to try and find some space. There wasn't any. Her heart began beating faster.

,, Fuck." she repeated and tried to find room again, and again, failed.

,, Please don't...!" she whimpered. But it was no use; she was stuck.

In a fevering, panicking moment, Harmony thought of the little boy from her school, who had been throwing rocks at her for the last few years. In her burning stage of terror, she couldn't recall his name, but she wouldn't be able to tell her own, were she asked. The boy had loved calling Harmony a vampire, and she just remembered now, why she hated it so much; vampires slept in coffins, she knew that much. And she hated coffins. Narrow, tight spaces, no place to move around in.

She had been like this since she was a child; she had panicked when she hadn't been able to move, she almost fainted once, when her class were out by a construction site and had to walk sideways through a narrow alley between two buildings. When she had been seven, she had collapsed in the boiler room of her school, because she had been trapped in the tapered corridors. Her family had never talked to a doctor, but it was easy to guess; Harmony _hated _small spaces.

,, Get me out...!" she croaked to no one, her breath coming in burning gasps, head feeling light and cold sweat breaking out on her neck.

,, Get me out!" she said again, the earth around her smothering every sound.

,, GET ME OUT!" her scream went unheard and not even the trace of an echo were to be found. Harmony began clawing at the earthly walls, tears running from her eyes.

*

In the throne room, the goblins were screaming with laughter; the girl acted like a child! They cold see it all through the dark crystal, their eyes were used to the darkness.

,, Quiet." Jareth ordered and they shut up, some still sniggering at the sight of the panicking Harmony.

Jareth was confused; he should be enjoying this. He had wanted for Harmony to cry, to fear and to know who of them were strongest, but he didn't feel elated at all. The only thing he saw in the crystal was a crying girl, on the brink of hurting herself in panic, more terror than human.

He let go of it and it stayed floating in the air, all the goblins concentrating on the crying Harmony, clawing her fingers to blood on the walls. He got up from his throne and disappeared from the room, none of the goblins paying any attention to him.

*

The air was tepid and humid and smelled of earth and blood and a grave. Harmony howled in fear and pain as her nails all broke when the clay had caked them up tight. Still, she continued, the wounds on the tips of her fingers getting soiled in mud.

,, I... I can't anymore...!" she whimpered and fell to her knees, still clawing desperately at the walls.

,, I can't breathe...!" the darkness grew thicker and clammier around her. Her gasps for air became more rasping.

,, I CAN'T BREATHE!" she cried, begging for some one to hear her.

Then, from the clayed wall she was leaning against, a small click sounded. In a crazed moment of panic, she twisted and touched the wall; where clay and earth had been before, there now was wood. A door.

Her fingers ran along the sides and she found the knob, wringing it so hard it almost snapped and she fell out into a hall, slightly larger than the room she had just left. About 10 feet in front of her, a pale daylight oozed in. More stumbling than running, she fell out into the light...

*

... and into the arms of the Goblin King, who knelt down to the ground with the crying girl in his embrace. Harmony was too scared to try to tear free and too exhausted to care. Her muddy fingers with the bleeding tips where her nails had broken dug into his shirt and she rested her head on his shoulder, thankful for being out in the air and the light and the echo again.

,, I..." the Goblin King said silently, wondering what to say. He had, most defiantly, crossed a line. The meaning of the game was to scare, lure, fool or tease the gamer into giving up. Scaring them to death was not something you did.

,, I'm..." Harmony sniffed, her tears still falling, but in a slower pace now. He wrapped an arm around her and placed his free, gloved hand on her head, stroking her hair in soothing movements.

,, I'm sorry..." he finally murmured, his soft voice sounding truthful. Harmony couldn't believe her ears. She almost pulled away from him when she felt his lips, soft like his voice, in a slow, light connection with her forehead. A comforting kiss, an apologizing kiss.

,, A truce...?" he asked. Harmony gave a small nod as her only answer.

They sat like that for some time, Jareth's hand twisting around Harmony's starling mane, lulling her into the most relaxed she had been since she entered the Labyrinth. She suddenly remembered how tired she was, what time it had been when she had been dragged from her room, that she hadn't eaten since her school dinner, that she could easily sleep now, and that Jareth smelled like rain. She turned her head slightly and sunk her face into the soft fabric of his shirt, sniffing in the scent, relaxing as much as she could. A small twitch of a smile moved in the corner of Jareth's mouth, even though his eyes were a mix of

_Please don't _and

_Please do._

She moved back and rested her head against his shoulder once again, looking at him with deep eyes. She looked at his hair and couldn't help notice in this situation, that the blue streaks were gone. Maybe they had been the last time they had met, but she couldn't recall. As if her hand was controlled by another forced, she lifted it and ran it through his hair, not making it look any less obscure, just leaving traces of earth and blood in it.

,, Your hair's weird." she said and her lips parted in a strange smile. Jareth smiled back.

,, Harmony, you could stop the game now." he said, tightening his grip around her.

,, How long time do I have back?" she asked, her voice not sounding like she was ready to surrender. More like she had just woken on a school day and needed to know how late she would be. The golden clock appeared beside them and Jareth tightened his hold on her, not wanting her to move, when she sat up and looked at the numbers; she had been walking for five hours. No wonder she felt so tired, now when she could relax. Her foots were sore and her whole body ached. She sighed and fell back into Jareth's cradling, the king smiling slightly at her.

,, It can wait a little longer." she said and closed her eyes, wondering if she could allow herself to sleep. Jareth chuckled.

,, Don't give yourself too much credit, you're nothing but a pillow to me." Harmony continued. He wrapped his arms around her and hid her from the world around them.

,, Harmony, you do understand that when this little truce is over, we will go back to as before?"

,, As I said; you're nothing but a pillow." Harmony said, her eyes still closed, but a smile playing on her lips. Her breathing became more steady and soft and her eyelids grew heavier. Her hand still clutched the trim of his shirt, back of her dirty fingers touching the bare of his chest. She so wanted to sleep.

,, And you are still determined to carry on?" Jareth whispered, luring her into sleep, luring her to stop.

,, Sure..." Harmony yawned, nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder.

,,... I'm gay." and then Jareth committed his first mistake; he twitched. Harmony giggled dryly and opened her eyes, juicy green and filled with teasing.

,, Gay as in merry, but nice to see your reaction." from the way he had reacted, Harmony knew that he was keeping an eye on her through the Labyrinth, and he could hear what she said too. After all, how else would he know about her comment on his sexuality and where to find her?

Then she realised her fingers were touching his chest and she was lying in his arms, completely voluntary. She blushed and began pulling away, her hand moving from his chest and twisting out of his embrace.

,, I should be going." she said. Jareth got to his feet and offered a hand to help Harmony, but she stood up without it. She began dusting off her knees, which was pointless considering she was covered in dirt, her fingers hurting from her sore nails.

,, So, this means the truce is at an end?" Jareth asked. Harmony shrugged, then nodded.

,, I guess so."

,, Good." it sounded bitter and mockingly. She looked up. Jareth was holding a peach in his hand, offering it to Harmony. It looked ripe and juicy, and Harmony's mouth watered.

,, Something to eat on your journey?" he asked. Harmony felt the saliva gathering as she reached out and took the fruit, the soft skin breaking under her fingers, juice running down over her hand, numbing the pain in her cuts. As she lifted it to her mouth, the sweet smell of it reached her first and she almost salivated. Then she looked at Jareth, just for a short second, and stopped. His eyes burned coldly at her and he grinned meanly. He had offered her the peach after their truce was broken. It was a trick.

She looked at the peach with sad eyes; she was _so _hungry. She dropped it; it landed on the ground with a soft thud and the juice oozed from it. Her eyes met Jareth's, who looked amused.

,, Impressive." he said and lifted his hands, golf clapping soundlessly at her. She glared back. Then she turned her back to him and walked on, her fingers hurting as she clenched her fists, insides burning, and wishing to turn and swing a punch at the king. But, she just walked.


	6. Chapter 6

,,... Then I'll huff and I'll puff

and I'll blow your house in."

Jareth watched as Harmony turned the corner, his hands resting at his hips and his head cocked like a birds to one side, smiling at the back of the girl. When she was gone, he looked down; his shirt was grimed the placed where Harmony had cowered. He frowned. Now, he would have to change... Again.

The peach on the ground turned back into the crystal he had been hiding up his sleeve for a moment where Harmony was relaxed enough to accept it without considering the consequences. It jumped to him, ricocheting from the ground with a soft plink and landing into his palm. He clenched his fist and the orb disappeared in a cloud of glitter. He blew it off his glove like a magician.

,, Well, I still have plenty of tricks awaiting you, Harmony. You should have quit while you were ahead." his mismatched eyes turned to the skies.

,, I think a storm is coming."

*

Harmony's stomach growled like a hungry wolf and cramped in protests as its growls went unheard. Harmony groaned but walked on.

If only she could find some food...!

The stones were bare around her, nothing there to eat. She didn't like wandering around in the Labyrinth anymore; the tight presence of the narrow walls made her remember her time in the grave. She wondered if she could climb the walls, but there were no places to crawl up. Sometime ago, she could have sworn she heard voices from the other side of the wall. Singing. And it had sounded like

' chilly down', but she blamed it on her hunger. Her stomach growled again.

,, Shut up. It's not helping." she mumbled and wrapped her arms around her ribs, trying to ease the growls. It didn't really help. In spite of it, she walked through the Labyrinth, begging to find something to eat along her route. She turned left for the fifth time and had to stop and bend down, to try and numb the pains in her stomach. When she got hold of that king...! Then, something strange began stirring in the Labyrinth. It sounded like a pack of mad wolves, howls echoing through the corridors, the swamps and the tunnels, the mist, the glitter and the magic. In The Bog of Eternal Stench, the gatekeeper sir Didymus and Hoggle shuddered. In the Goblin Castle, the small trolls huddled together in the throne room and held their breaths. Jareth sat in the window of one of the towers, leaning back with his arms crossed over his chest and looked at his Labyrinth, where dust had begun to whirl in the horizon, spinning and twisting through the passageways.

When the storm looked like it might settle and slow, Jareth just _glared _and it sped up again. He smirked.

It stared as a light breeze, making Harmony's hair move slightly but nothing more. Then, the wind came closer and the howls grew stronger. Harmony cursed as the storm reached her, rolling through the streets of the Labyrinth like a wave. The power of it knocked her of her feet and she landed hard on the ground, tumbling about as the storm rolled back and forth. Harmony screamed every time her shoulder, legs, back, arms or head connected with one of the walls as she was tossed about in the tempest. She felt sick and weak and the dizziness escalated in her empty stomach, making her feel like she was going to faint. The wind roared, howled, screamed and whined in her head and for a moment, Harmony feared she might go deaf from the waves. Every little grain of sand in the corridors flew into her face and blinded her sight and cut like small shards of glass. Harmony covered her head and screamed in fear, rage and pain, hurling through the streets. And then it stopped.

Harmony got to her feet, shaking and shuddering from the tumbling through the Labyrinth. Then she looked around; she had never been in this part of the maze before, it was completely new to her.

,, No...!" it couldn't have been that far...! Around the next corner and she would know where she was, right? No. Then the next? No, again. Harmony raced through the Labyrinth, no order in her actions, a tumbling, scattered running. Another mistake. If she hadn't been lost before, she was now.

,, No!" she screamed and slammed herself into the nearest wall, the back of her head connecting sharply with the bricks and making her tumble to the ground, her hands cradling the part of her skull that was hurt. She bit her lower lip, her eyes welded shut, cursing herself over and over for having run.

,, Harmony, you stupid, _stupid _girl...!" she said to herself, glaring meanly and sadly at her toes through her eyelashes.

,, What are you going to do now?" Jareth's soft voice asked, making Harmony look up. He was standing on the wall above her, hands on his hips and smirk on his face. He was wearing his dark blue cape again, with a thick, almost armour like, midnight blue jacket under it, as if he was afraid that she would begin to fling rocks at him. The blue and glittery streaks in his hair were back. Harmony got to her feet.

,, Why should I tell you?" she asked, misery welling up inside her. She _had _to find a way out! Jareth smiled down at her, making her wish she could jump up and grab his ankle and yank him to the ground.

,, Oh, just curious. You haven't got that much time again." he said and strolled along the wall when Harmony began walking, just wanting to get far away from him.

,, Yeah? How much?" she almost walked into the clock, which was now levitating in front of her. The knot in her stomach tightened, adding another dark stab of pain to her hunger.

_Three hours left...! _

,, Turn back, Harmony. It's not possible for you to reach the exit by now; give up."

,, Sod off." she growled. Jareth rolled his eyes slightly; when she was to be his servant, he would have to teach her some manners. Better language.

Harmony trotted around another corner, Jareth following along the top of the wall.

,, You must be hungry..." he said conversationally, Harmony trying to ignore him.

,,... Haven't eaten for... what is it, over ten hours?"

_Haven't eaten since dinner at school... About fourteen, maybe fifteen... _It annoyed Harmony, not knowing what time it was at home. Was it still night? Was it morning? Were her parents home? Had they found out she was gone? Were they worried? Did they search for her? Had they called the police? Had they even noticed? Was it like the old stories, where one night in the fae realm was hundred years in the human world? Had they forgotten her?

,, None of your business." she growled and crossed her arms, biting the rumbles from her stomach back. Then she almost bumped into Jareth, who now was on the same level as her, standing and smiling sweetly and alluring, face glowing kindly but eyes looking like a meadow filled with belladonna and steel-jaw traps.

,, Harmony. You are tired. You are hungry." he looked at her grubby clothes and bleeding fingertips, then reached out and touched her bleeding bruise over her eye with gloved fingers, not pressing hard as if to hurt her.

,, And you are hurt... You can never reach the start of my Labyrinth, it's too far away..." he said softly, eyes not moving from Harmony's. And he saw doubt in her eyes; wouldn't it all just be better if she could stop now?

,, Harmony, come back to my castle with me. Come and live at my court with me." when he said those words, _with me_, Harmony imagined staying at the castle as his equal, not as his servant.

,, Come back with me, and we shall forget everything." now, he took her hand and his fingers meshed with hers, holding her dirty, little hand, with skin hardened by work and a scar faded by time, in his soft gloved one, making Harmony wish his hands were bare. So she could feel his skin, something human. He held her hand in his two, looking at her almost pleading.

,, Harmony. Stop the game now." Jareth at some point hated himself for playing this role, but it was all worth it when he saw the doubt in Harmony's eyes. Time for the final straw.

,, Harmony..." he lifted her hand closer to his lips, eyes still not breaking with hers.

,,... please..." he murmured and kissed her knuckles, the unfamiliar softness of his lips making Harmony jump slightly. Since she had entered the Labyrinth, he had kissed her twice, one on her forehead and now her hand, and almost kissed her on the mouth. It was, Harmony realised, more than any other boy had ever done to her. At it was not a bet, it wasn't something he had talked over with his friends one drunken night. He had done it voluntarily.

Jareth felt something inside him squirm as a solitary tear ran down over Harmony's cheek, drawing a line in the fine layer of dirt on her skin. He felt triumphant, but never did enjoy it when people cried. He reached out with his one hand, the tear getting soaked up in the fabric of his glove as he placed it on her cheek, stroking it gently.

,, There, there..." he said and smiled softly and comforting, Harmony biting her lip when another stupid tear parted with her eye. She felt utterly misplaced.

,,... just say the words, Harmony, and it will all be done." if she only knew how close she was to the exit...! She could reach if she walked now, it would take her less than an hour.

,, I..." she croaked. He smiled reassuringly.

,, Harmony, when we get back to my castle, you shall have anything you'll like for dinner." he said as if she had already given up and he was now planning their future.

,, Anything. Your imagination shall be the only limit." Harmony's stomach growled at the thought of all the delicacies of the world, Indian curry, crappy junk food, ice cream, delicious junk food, acidy hotdogs, meaty hotdogs, pasta, roast duck, noodles, chowder, chicken wings, fruit, bread, roasted potatoes, blueberry pie, blackberries, vanilla custard, roasted lamb with halloumi and tomatoes, even canned tuna on rye and a big glass of orange juice. Her mouth watered. Jareth grinned like a fox.

Then she blinked, as if to clear away the images of the food in her mind, and shot away from Jareth, pulled her hand free from his and looked at him painfully stubborn.

,, No." then she shoved past him, begging for him not to follow.

,, Harmony." his voice was cool again, ordering and mockingly. She turned to face him again.

,, Remember the oubliette? The feeling of being buried alive?" she swallowed but didn't answer.

,, That's how it will be when you lose." he said. And then he was just gone. Harmony shook her head and looked at the walls around her; neglected, old and full of holes where bricks were missing. She sighed, not wanting to quit just yet and walked to the nearest wall and began climbing, her fingers hurting each time she tore open a wound where her nails had been. She looked up and almost fell back to the ground; the wall was now much bigger, the top of it being about 22 feet away. Another little handy trick by Jareth.

,, No way." she spat and edged further up. She was not going to climb down; if Jareth could cheat, so could Harmony. She bit her lip and forced herself upwards, feeling all her skipped gym classes piling up on her as her muscles began to burn. Each time her bleeding fingers roamed for a new place they could hold on to and sand fell down in her eyes, she forced herself to look up and beg that the top had edged closer. At one point, her foot slipped and she knocked her knee against the wall, cursing in pain. But at last, there was no more places to hold, only clear air and Harmony dragged up to the top of the wall, eyes flaming from the sand and all muscles in her arms and legs burning. She only vaguely noticed the rip in her trousers and the scraped off skin on her knee. She couldn't remember if she slept, but when she opened her eyes again, she felt more strength seeping into her muscles, like when you awake from a good, long sleep.

She got up, her leg with the scraped knee hurting slightly, and looked around. And almost fell down from the wall.  
The Exit! It was just there! She could see it, a place not so far away where the walls all joined and stopped and beyond that, a deserted place of plain ground. Quickly, she began to pick out a route. And then she paced along the walls, heart racing in her chest and eyes on the desert beyond the Labyrinth at all times.

*

Now, the goblins were whispering amongst themselves, wondering why their king did not try to stop the girl. Well, Jareth wanted to, but he found himself unable to move. He was thinking.

Sarah and Harmony were day and night. Sarah had been kind, trusting, loving, innocent, she had never sworn as Harmony did.

Harmony on the other hand was flinty, tricky, stubborn, swore like you wouldn't believe it, bend the rules...

Yet he liked her. And when she had shed a tear, he had felt something sting in him. He didn't want her to cry, especially after the oubliette. He wanted her to... be happy. He did not know why, but he wanted her to smile.

He shook his head, he was being outrageous! The girl was cheating, breaking the rules of his Labyrinth. He had to do something.

*

A fluttering of velvety wings reached Harmony's ears and she turned to see an owl, the barn owl from the throne room, flying towards her so she had to dodge it. She stepped to the side and almost fell to the ground, arms waving to find some balance but she kept it and still stood on the wall.

,, Crazy bird...!" she mumbled to herself. And then the owl flew back towards her again, forcing her to duck.

,, Go away." she said and tried to strike out after the bird, but she only hit air.

Jareth turned in the air and flew back towards her. He really didn't want to do it, but Harmony was almost at the outer wall.

This time, the owl flew much closer and even though Harmony covered her head with her arms, thoughts of old stories where birds pecked or clawed your eyes out running through her head, the claws of the bird dug into her hair and cut through her skin. She screeched and swung another punch at it, her arm connecting with its one wing and sending it scrambling to the ground.

Harmony hissed and touched her scalp where the claws had been and looked at her fingertips; blood. She looked down at the owl, which was sitting and looking back at her.

,, Stupid bird." she growled, but then turned to continue. She was so close.

However, Jareth was now in front of her, blocking her way.

,, Harmony, this is cheating." Harmony placed a hand on the sore skin of her head, wondering what she must look like, with her dirty clothes and bruise and scraped knee.

,, The bet is to solve the Labyrinth, I am solving it." she shrugged and tried to edge around him, but he held out an arm and stopped her.

,, Don't you have a court to rule?"

,, Give me one good reason for why I should not bring you all the way back to the beginning."

,, Give me one good reason for why you didn't leave me when I was caught in that hole." she fired back. Jareth looked at her, his eyes burning coldly. He didn't react.

,, Well, there you have your answer." she announced and wrung past him, counting the walls between her and the end of the Labyrinth. Then he grabbed her arm, his hand felt like a vice, and forced her back to him.

,, Harmony, I have been very generous up till now, but do not test me." his voice was calm, but his eyes were glowing darkly.

,, Then let go of me and I will stop." she said and tried to tug free. But in doing so, she fell backwards and hit nothing but air as she fell to the ground. She landed on her back, gasping when her lungs cramped and tried to sit herself up. Jareth was gone. Again.

,, Bastard...!" she groaned. But then again, the exit was so close. She could walk the last way...

She got to her feet, knee burning and her back hurting.

... she could stagger the last way.

*

The Labyrinth wasn't a labyrinth anymore. Now it was Harmony's broken nails, the dirt in her clothes and bruises and her scratches. The walls all crammed her in and she felt cold sweat down her back. And to top it all, it wasn't even a labyrinth anymore! It was just a long, narrow path, clad in glimmer and moss, the walls were old and full of holes where several bricks were missing.

,, Where the hell am I now?" she tripped and almost stumbled to the ground, but managed to lean against the wall and steady herself.

,, Oh, sod it." she announced and sat down, leaning heavily against the wall. She was so tired, her head was heavy and her eyes drowsy. She had no idea of where she was and how much time she had left; she could wait until the game was over and then get turned into a goblin by Jareth. Not the most wonderful thing to think, but she was tired. Exhausted.

,, 'ello." someone said. Harmony's brows furrowed and she looked around.

,, Uh... Hello?" she tried.

,, Down 'ere." she looked down: a small... worm, was it? It was little and blue with huge brown eyes and a small red scarf. Harmony could only imagine how surprised she looked.

,, Hello..." she said and turned slightly.

,, You look like you been through a rough time, mind you." the worm said.

,, I know, I feel like it too." she twisted to her knees and looked down at the little worm.

,, If you want to, I could go get you a cup of tea?" the worm offered. Harmony felt like she was dreaming, it didn't really make any sense...!

,, Yeah... I'd really like that." she said and smiled. The little worm disappeared into a small crack in the wall, Harmony looking around at the long lane she was caught in. She couldn't see anything resembling a turn or anything like that.

,, 'ere we are, nice and strong." Harmony looked down again; the little worm was back where she had seen it at first and now there stood a small white teacup, the size of a thimble, filled with a steamy dark tea.

,, Would have invited you inside, but it's a bit of a mess. Wife's invited her sister to stay for the month, so..." Harmony looked at the little crack in the wall.

,, That's okay, I don't mind." she carefully picked up the small china cup with her thumb and index finger and took a small sip. It was really a quite good tea, strong and not too sweet, mostly spicy.

,, Mmn." she licked her lips.

,, It's really good."

,, Thank you." the worm said in it's strange voice.

,, Now, what are you doing 'ere? You look like one who needs a rest, not run around in this awful Labyrinth."

,, That's a... very long story." she leaned her head back against the wall and sighed.

,, I don't suppose you would know how far there is to the beginning of the Labyrinth?" that made the worm chuckle.

,, Of course, it's just down the way."

,, What?" Harmony hadn't expected an actual answer, it had just been a small question.

,, It's not that far, about ten minutes walk." the worm said.

,, You're serious?"

,, Of course. Just a bit down the way there." the worm nodded to indicate the direction.

,, Oh my God...!" Harmony whispered. She staggered to her feet, leaning against the wall and looking down at the little blue worm.

,, I'm sorry, but I got to go. Thanks for the tea. And thank you for telling me where the beginning is." she said quickly, not slowing down once and began stagger down the narrow path.

,, Bye." she called to the little worm and raced on, leaning heavily against the walls several times, her heart racing in her throat. What if she could actually reach the exit? She stumbled more than once, but she ignored every sting of pain on her skin. The thought that really kept her going was the image of Jareth's face if she won.

Stepping over glittery and mossy branches and cursing every time her damned knee hurt, Harmony finally reached a massive gate. She could have cried.

,, How do I get out?" she mumbled to herself, ignoring the constant ticking in her ears. Maybe it meant she only had minutes left, or maybe Jareth was getting scared and tried to make her lose her concentration.

,, How do I get out of the Labyrinth?" she mumbled again and almost shot in the air, so she could have flown over the wall, when the gates creaked open. On the other side was a desert, dank and dreary and dismal, but to Harmony, it was like an oasis. She tumbled outside, laughing triumphantly to the walls of the Labyrinth and the red sand.

Aforesaid sand got into her eyes and her scraped knee, but she didn't care. No more Labyrinth, she had won! She had actually won!

As the victory in her veins began fading, tiredness and exhaustion and hunger overtook. Harmony closed her eyes, a smile still on her face, even though her whole body ached.

,, Jareth." she said and opened her eyes. The goblin king was standing in front of her in the sand, dressed in the set of clothes he had been wearing when she had first laid eyes upon him, what now felt like days ago.

,, Seems like I won." she grinned up at him, his lips pursed and his beautiful eyes like two deep lakes.

,, It would seem so." he replied. Harmony got to her knees, more and more sand getting into her cut and she tried to get up, but she stumbled back down more than once. Finally she managed to get to her feet, but she was swaying and then dropped forward into Jareth's arms, as the goblin king picked the girl up and let her rest her head on his shoulder. His blue cape was whooshing in the desert wind and it wrapped itself around him and Harmony like a great pair of wings.

,, So, I can get a wish granted now?" she asked sleepily.

,, How about getting some rest at a start? You must be tired." Harmony buried her face in his cape and nodded drowsily before sleep took over and carried her much like the goblin king did.

Jareth looked at the grimy, rude, sarcastic, hurt, bleeding and bruised girl in his arms. Then he adjusted her in his embrace, bringing her closer to him, and he kissed her bruise over her eye, thankful that she was safe.

A flapping of wings sounded and both of them were gone in a flash of crystal and glitter.

***squeals and wails* I am a horrible person! I am so sorry, I feel so bad for not updating sooner!**

**But, from tomorrow, I have a reading holiday, and I promise I will try to update as soon as possible.**

**Reviews are of course a great encouragement:D**


	7. Chapter 7

Goblin Castle,

Goblin King.

Harmony was dreaming. Soft, magical, wonderful dreams, filled with crystal faeries and mossy groves. She was happy and relaxed, but she knew it soon was time to leave. Moonshine shone in the faeries wings like silver and Harmony smiled at the beautiful sight. She leaned back against the moss and closed her eyes.

,, Good to see you are feeling better." a melodic voice said. Harmony opened her eyes and looked up; Jareth was sitting on the grass beside her, dressed in his white shirt with the black vest and the grey trousers. He looked around.

,, So, what do you think of this little dream?" he waved at the grove around them. Harmony shrugged.

,, I've had better ones." she lied.

,, No you haven't." he said and stroked her starling hair away from her forehead, he was still wearing those stupid gloves. Harmony raised an eyebrow, who was he to decide?

,, This is the best dream you could ever have. I should know so, it can practically be seen on you." Harmony held up a hand, to check if her skin actually could tell her how she felt.

,, Really?" he nodded and lay down beside her, resting his head on one hand and placing his other on the other side of Harmony, so she couldn't get up.

,, Where are we?" she asked and crossed her arms defensively over her chest. Jareth looked at the grove.

,, It seems like some sort of forest. A place you created as a child or did you visit it with your family at one point?"

,, That wasn't what I meant. I know this is a dream, I'm wondering where the rest of me is. And the rest of you for that matter..."

,, You are sleeping in one of the rooms in my castle. I am beside you..." Harmony's face reddened.

,,... in a chair, making sure you don't have too many nightmares."

,, It takes a real creep to sit and watch a bruised teenager sleeping." Harmony said.

,, Technically, I am sleeping as well, your dreams are much more entertaining than your sleeping." he leaned further down and Harmony wondered how she could feel his breath on her face in a dream.

,, Thank you. I like it too." she listened to the beating of tiny crystal wings and tried to look all other places than where Jareth was.

,, So, this is my dream?" he nodded and twisted a lock of her hair around his finger, pulling her head slightly closer to his.

,, Yes."

,, So, I have control of it?" he blinked slowly and nodded.

,, Yes."

,, So... If I were to think that my hair turned into snakes that would bite your bleeding nose off if you didn't move away this second..." Jareth snapped back when a glass green snake, the same green colour as Harmony's eyes, shot forward with its jaws wide open and tried to bite the goblin king in the face. It missed and got only air and Jareth scowled at it, then at Harmony.

,, Cool. How do I look? I've always wanted to look like a gorgon." she ran a hand through her "hair" feeling soft snake scales under her fingers and reptiles twining lovingly around her wrist. She imagined her hair being back to normal and the snakes were gone, her old dark hair being where it had before.

,, You should watch your steps, Harmony. This might be your dream, but this is still my domain."

,, Sorry." she grinned and sat up, not noticing the steam coming from Jareth's ears. Not that there was any steam, but he was fuming.

,, Harmony, you might feel fine now, but you are still hurt. When you wake up, you will still be bruised and bleeding, your clothes will still be dirty and you will still be hungry.

,, God, you really know how to kill a party stone dead." she fell back down on the moss and looked up at the starry sky, the parts that showed through the leaves of the willows.

,, All I am saying is when you wake up you will still need to change your clothes, wash up and get something to eat."

,, You sound like my mother."

,, Then I take it she must be a sensible woman."

,, She's a pain up the backside, if that's what you mean." she sighed as the world around her became less real. She was waking up.

,, Well, I will be seeing you." she said and closed her eyes. And woke up.

She was lying in a huge bed in a huge room, golden and white, with a crystal window on her right, giving her an amazing view of the Labyrinth, which looked so imposing yet so tranquil at this distance. The room she had been sleeping in was build for a queen, elaborate and filled with things fashioned out of crystal. The bed she was lying in was carved from wood which had been painted golden, or maybe it simply was golden, and the white linen was softer than anything she had ever felt before. It wasn't formed like a real bed, it was more round like a bowl or a nest, filled with duvets with the softest feathers and pillows made from silk and the likes. Beside her was a rococo armchair, where Jareth must have been sitting up till now.

She was still wearing her dirt-crusted clothes and she somehow felt guilty for messing up the amazing bed. Her boots were gone and her socks were the only things on her that looked even remotely clean.

She yawned and slowly got out of the bed, stretching and groaning every time she felt a bruise burn. At the wall opposite from where her bed stood was a great wardrobe, carved from one big crystal, with beautiful clothes hanging behind the magical rock. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and there was a full body mirror beside the wardrobe, with a gold and crystal frame.

There were two doors in the high ceilinged room; one, huge and official looking, was embedded in the wall opposite to the one where the crystal window was. The other was more humble, if a door ever could be anything but a door, and was in the same wall as where the wardrobe and the mirror stood. The door was slightly open and a bathroom showed on the other side. Harmony caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and decided she would follow Jareth's advice and wash up. Then a change of clothes and then...

Her stomach growled.

... food.

The bathroom was huge and white, with a mirror set in gold and a white marble tub. Harmony felt like she had walked straight into a faerie tale. With a Goblin King and labyrinths and so on. It was hard to believe she wasn't just dreaming. Testing, she pinched her arm, but she didn't wake up. Which meant that either this was real... Or she was in some sort of coma. Well, coma or not, she needed to clean up.

The twin faucets on the marble tub were made of gold, each richly decorated and with a small gold owl with black crystal eyes balancing on the top of each one. She turned the water on, a soft perfumed scent rising with the steam, something between rain and roses, and when Harmony thought the bath full enough for her, she turned the water off and stripped herself of her crusted clothes and stepped into the water, her bruised body and cuts burning faintly from the perfume in the water. She sat down on her knees and began washing the mud off her, diving under the water and combing through her hair with her fingers. The clean water quickly grew brown from the washed off dirt, marbled with red streaks as the cut on her knee opened again. She didn't mind, it meant she had washed the sand and dirt out of it. She got up and wrapped a linen towel around herself and then looked at her clothes; feeling so clean and fresh right now, the thought of crawling back into the muddy attire gave her a headache. So she picked up her underwear and pulled it on, wrapped the towel around her shoulders and strode back into the room and went for the crystal closet. It opened easily and Harmony lost her breath when she looked at the clothes in it; Elizabethan, Medieval, Victorian, Edwardian... Clothes from great historical aspects of time. There were clothes the animals in Beatrix Potter stories wore, there were the refined costumes of Shakespeare plays, even the dark fantastical ones she'd imagine persons in Gormenghast wearing. After much consideration, she chose a silver dress, made from moonlight and spider's web she could only conclude, since she had never felt anything so light yet strong under her fingers. She dropped the towel and pulled the dress over her head; it was slightly too big for her, so only the tips of her fingers showed at the cuffs and it pooled a bit around her feet. She felt fine about that, she could just pick up her skirt when she walked. Looking through the closet again, she wound a dark green vest (or a waistcoat, depending upon who you asked.) with brass buttons, which she pulled on as well. She looked at the heap of shoes in the bottom of the wardrobe, but decided they just wouldn't do. Besides, she'd feel much safer wandering around a goblin-filled castle in her Docs, since she knew from experience they were good at fending the little creatures off. Jareth was another matter, but she figured she could still aim straight for his special place if needed anyway, since he wasn't wearing any form of armour in his own castle.

To her surprise she found her boots polished to a black-mirrored perfection, all the mud and sand was gone from them. As the sat on the bed and laced them up tightly, which she always did when she had the time, something began moving on the vanity that was standing on the other side of the bed, opposite to where the chair was. It moved skilfully around perfume bottles and hairclips and silver combs and brushes, before falling to the floor and rolled over to where Harmony sat. She leaned down and picked the crystal up, weighing it in her hand and wondering how Jareth managed to juggle with it like he did. She remembered playing with her coloured glass marbles as a child, where she'd pick one up (the blue and the green was her favourite, but sometimes the white was just magnificent in itself.) and hold it up against the light, searching for the small glowing point where the light met and culminated in it. She would then hold it to her eye, and look through the glass, finding a small yet beautiful and magical world.

Now she did it again, holding the crystal up against the light and skilfully found the spot. She twisted the orb slightly and was about to look into it, when a melodic voice spoke behind her.

,, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Jareth said and walked up to her, not sitting down or showing in any other way he had opened up to her after the trick with the snake.

,, Why not?" Harmony asked and stood up, not wanting to sit down and look too comfortable around the Goblin King. Jareth's fantastic eyes moved over her figure in the silver dress, her pale skin and green eyes and her starling hair, darkened by the water, plastered to her skull in a discreet, beautiful way. (AN: Seriously! Women have the most beautiful skull shapes ever!)

,, You look much prettier when you're cleaned up." he said and smirked when Harmony's cheeks grew red at his bold statement.

_The Goblin King thought she was pretty..._

,, Why shouldn't I look in it?" she asked and held up the crystal. Jareth took it in his gloved hand, he was wearing black trousers and vest with a crimson silk shirt and black leather gloves, and made a fist around it, causing it to crumble to silver glitter.

,, One shouldn't watch their dreams on an empty stomach." he said.

,, It makes the sights more real and reality less so."

_You talk about reality?_

Jareth held his hand up between them, leaning slightly down and holding Harmony's eyes with his own, before his delicate lips moved down to the hand and he blew on the glitter, so it flew into Harmony's eyes and got stuck in her hair and on her damp skin.

,, Why did you do that?" she growled annoyed and rubbed her eyes from the glitter with one hand and shoved his hand away with her other.

,, Your bruise." he said simply. Harmony turned her head so to look in the mirror and saw that the bruise over her eye was gone.

,, Fine." she crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged her shoulders slightly.

,, Thanks, I guess." Jareth's soft, gloved hand took her chin gingerly and he tipped her head slightly so their eyes met, their noses almost touching.

,, You are welcome." he murmured, his breath was sweet and not at all uncomfortable to feel on her skin. She quickly blinked and looked away from his eyes, causing him to smile when he felt her insecurity, and gently pushed his hand away from her.

,, I'm hungry..." she said, concentrating on the corner behind Jareth. He nodded and stroked her wet hair.

,, Then may I have the honour of inviting the person who bested my Labyrinth to dine with me?" he asked. Harmony shook his hand off her and nodded. She picked up her skirt and began walking beside Jareth, who casually placed a hand on her back, between her shoulder blades, and they walked out of the room together, the door swinging open and closing by itself.

The halls were huge and cool, and above all, deserted. Harmony felt like it was only her and Jareth in the castle. To tell the truth, she didn't mind.

,, Where is everybody?" she asked. Jareth turned his head and looked at her with his lips curled into that somewhat loving, somewhat mocking smile of his.

,, These are my private corridors, I only have my goblins running around here if I feel like it."

,, And you didn't today?"

,, I thought you might feel more comfortable without a scatter of goblins running about your feet." Harmony stopped and pulled her skirt slightly higher up and showed her shining boot.

,, I know how to handle them." she said and gave a small, blushing smile. Jareth's hand moved up in her wet hair and his fingers twisted around the sensitive ones on her neck, carefully without pulling.

,, One day you might stumble upon an opponent stronger than you think. But I admire your courage." Harmony stood frozen for some time, then pushed his hand away and walked on, Jareth following her in his agile stride. He placed his hand on her back again and led her down the endless corridors to a dining room, with the circular window giving the same view of the Labyrinth as the one in the room Harmony had slept in. There was a long table in the middle of the room, with two three-armed candleholders in silver and white candle in, standing on a separate bed of deep green ivy leaves, with a white tablecloth under it. At the one end of the table, facing the huge window, was a throne-like chair with a matching one on its right. Jareth led Harmony over to the chair on the right and pulled it out for her to sit down on.

,, My lady..." he said and smirked again when Harmony blushed, before he himself took his place in the chair at the table end. He slung back in it and swung a leg over one armrest, so he looked powerful yet very.... Casual. He titled his head and looked at her.

,, So, anything particular you would like to eat?" he asked. Harmony shrugged.

,, Whatever you're having." he shifted his position and was now leaning in over the table, holding her chin in one hand and lips little more than an inch from hers.

,, Harmony, Harmony, Harmony... Have you never learned it is unwise for humans to eat Fae cuisine?" she gave a slight nod, but Jareth continued anyway.

,, For once you've tasted it..." he leaned closer and brushed his lips against her cheek, trailing down to her own lips and leaving her to lean forward and finish the job.

,,... you'll never crave anything but that again." Harmony shoved his hand away and leaned back in the chair, her hands clutching her waistcoat so she wouldn't punch Jareth.

,, Raw spinach leaf salad, egg omelette and a glass of water." she mumbled without looking up. Jareth smiled and waved his hand and a silver plate appeared in front of her, with the food she had ordered on it and a crystal wine glass with water. In front of Jareth was a plate of flower buds and butterfly wings, and a silver goblet filled with a deep red wine. As she watched, he picked up a blood red rosebud and placed it on his tongue, his self-centred smile only growing when Harmony couldn't take her eyes off him as he closed his mouth and crushed the flower with his teeth. She looked down at her own plate and began eating, trying not to let it show it was the best meal she had ever had, not wanting to give Jareth the satisfaction.

,, Would you like to try?" he suddenly asked and Harmony looked up. Jareth was holding a deep blue violet between two gloved fingers, carefully so not to crush the delicate flower. Harmony was actually curious to find out if the flowers tasted different than the flavours she had in mind, so she put her silver cutlery down and reached out to take it, but Jareth pulled his hand and the flower back.

,, Would you like to try?" he asked again. Harmony sighed.

,, Yes." he smiled and waved her forward and, much to her own surprise, Harmony moved closer. He leaned closer again and let the soft petals of the flower brush over her lips, inviting her to open her mouth for him. She shot him a glare and quickly snatched the petal between her lips and pulled back, not wanting to see the smirk she knew was there.

,, You like it?" she shrugged.

,, It's a flower, can't really see what should be so special about it."

,, Then try this." she looked up again; Jareth was now sitting with one of the insect wings, a blue thing with a violet shine, and invited her to try it as well. She tried to take it as well, but he shook his head and held the wing to her lips. She didn't take it at first, the thought of eating a wing from a bug was unfamiliar but not sickening, but it was just reacting to the Goblin King she didn't like. But finally, maybe just to stop his teasing glint in his eyes and the stupid smile, she took the wing in her mouth as well and chewed on it with some care, she had never tried eating anything like it before.

,, Better?"

,, Plain." that caused him to chuckle.

,, Shows so much about you humans, when you can't even see the beauty in the most delectable food." Harmony looked down at her plate again and began eating, slowly, wondering if he was right about the faerie food. She ate in silence, until Jareth put his goblet down, after having taken another sip, and looked at her again.

,, Dessert?" she shook her head.

,, No thanks." he held up another violet.

,, Sure?" Harmony found herself wanting to taste the flower again, the sharp tang of the stem and the faint, almost nonexistent memory of the perfumed petals, and she nodded, expecting to eat from his hand again, though she hated it more than even possible. She leaned closer again, but even so he teasingly pulled the flower further away when she came too close to it. Finally he took the flower and placed it between his lips, holding it in just one petal, and leaned closer and waited for her to take it.

,, No." she moved back and shook her head. He raised a painted eyebrow, but Harmony refused to lower herself to talk again. After what felt like hours he at long last, opened his mouth and his tongue took the small flower and he ate it.

,, What a pity." he said and shook his head before he got up and walked the short, almost none existing, distance between his chair and Harmony's. He placed his hands on the chair, on either side of her, and pulled it out and she stood up.

,, Can I offer you a tour around my castle?" he asked, holding her eyes with his, hands still placed on the chair. Harmony gave a shrug.

,, I need some time to think about my wish, so why not?" he offered her an arm, but Harmony just took her skirt and walked beside him. They walked down the halls, none of them speaking, until they reached a room where Harmony had to stop and stare, slightly gawking.

,, Wow..." she muttered and took a step into the room. The angles were odd, but not in a crazy way; there were doors in the ceiling and upside down, stairs twisting and bending, like in a painting Harmony had seen as a child, long ago. Jareth stood and leaned against the wall, arms crossed and a smile on his lips, watching the girl as she spun around and looked at it all. He walked over to her and looked around as well, as if it was the first time in years he had been in the room. Before he knew it, Harmony was gone, walking up of one of the stairs and reappeared, upside down, above his head.

,, This is cool!" she laughed and Jareth found himself smiling at the sound. Turning focus, down was now up and up was down, Harmony was now on the right angle and Jareth was upside down. The second she turned around and took one step, she walked straight into Jareth's arms, which wrapped around her and held her in place. Harmony should have shouted and tried to fight free, but she just stood and looked up at him. Her hands were resting against his chest, but she had no force to push him away, even though he wasn't fighting to keep her in place.

,, So..." Jareth said casually, as if they weren't standing like they were.

,,... Have you thought about your wish?" she could have everything she wanted; it was a lot of power for a sixteen year old.

,, But of course; there are rules." Jareth moved a hand up and caught a lock of her hair, which was now almost dry.

,, You only have this wish: You can't wish for anymore wishes.

You can't wish for something lager than your life; nothing that will have too great an effect on other people.

And you can't wish for something that will hurt other people." she nodded, it seemed fair enough.

,, Jareth?" he tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow to show he was listening.

,, If I told you to let go of me, would you take that as a wish?" he nodded.

,, I'm afraid so."

,, Then we will have to do this the other way..." she sighed.

,, And that is?"

,, Well..." her hands moved up to his shoulders, smoothing out his vest and his sleeves.

,,... I am wearing boots and you're wearing tights; you seem fairly smart, so put two and two together." he let go of her hand stepped back, bowing his head smoothly.

,, I stand corrected. Now, your wish?" Harmony moved her weight from foot to foot and wrapped her arms around herself.

,, Do I have to decide right now?" she asked.

,, Why the hesitation?"

,, I just want to think a bit more about it..." she mumbled. Jareth's stupid smile grew a little wider and he held out a hand for her to take.

,, Well then..." Harmony took his hand, she seemed to forget just how obnoxious he could be, and he pulled her closer.

,,... A walk outside?"

,, What, in the Labyrinth?" he nodded and began walking, Harmony following slowly, wanting him to let go of her hand again. He didn't.

,, Why shouldn't we?" he lifted her hand and kissed it.

,, I have a place I would like to show you."

*

,, It's... It's my..." Harmony ran a hand over the smooth bark of a willow tree.

,, It's my..."

,, Well, I found myself inspired." Jareth said, arms crossed and leaning against another silvery willow.

,, It's beautiful." Harmony said and walked into the middle of the grove and sat down, running her hands over the soft moss. The grove was an exact copy of her dream, with moonlight and crystal faeries and the likes. It was in a maze-like part of the Labyrinth, in the middle, like it was something special.

,, All though, there are some alterations..." Jareth said as he sat down beside her. Harmony turned her head and looked at him.

,, Like what?" one of the small crystal faeries flew over and landed in the gloved palm of Jareth's outstretched hand, doing a clumsy courtesy.

,, She's so sweet." Harmony said and moved closer to Jareth and the little creature. Jareth raised an eyebrow at the statement, but Harmony managed to say it without sounding like a child. Harmony reached a careful hand out and touched the fae's head gently, making the small creature laugh as it flew from Jareth's hand to hers. Its small wings fluttered as it flew up and looked her in the eyes, but as it moved closer Jareth snapped it away, so it flew stumbling through the air.

,, What did you do that for?" Harmony asked, almost angry with him.

,, If it'd kissed you, you would be in the same illusion as when you were introduced to the small spider." the memory of the little creature crawling around her mind made Harmony shudder and she looked at the faeries with some caution now.

,, You've made them evil." she said, Jareth shook his head.

,, I just made them fit in with my Labyrinth." Harmony sat for some time, silent, feeling slightly guilty for having given Jareth another weapon to use against the people in the Labyrinth. She sighed and stood up and began brushing moss off her borrowed dress, Jareth sitting on the ground and watching her with a look Harmony couldn't define in his eyes. To drive away tedium, he materialized a crystal and began moving it around on his hand, spinning from finger to finger and from palm to the back. Seeing Harmony watching him in fascination out of the corner of his eyes, Jareth smirked and stood up, now moving the crystal from hand to hand, even letting it roll up his arm to his shoulder, around his back and down the other arm. He finally stopped and presented the crystal to her.

,, Here."

,, Why?"

,, As a present; my show of awe for a girl who defeated my Labyrinth."

,, It would have been a lot sweeter without the sarcasm..." Harmony said as she accepted the crystal, it felt so... right in her hand.

,,... But thank you."

,, Should we go back to the castle?" he asked.

,, And...?"

,, You'll see." Jareth said and they began walking.

**Note: Buttefly wings taste like dust (Which is not that bad in my opinion.) and flowers does actually taste slightly perfumed. Go try it, it's not that bad:D**


	8. Chapter 8

Wish upon a star.

,, Afraid of small spaces _and _scared of heights?" Jareth chuckled and Harmony shot him a cold glare.

,, I'm not scared; I'm dizzy, you just made me walk up thousands of stairs." she crossed her arm over her chest and, just to prove him wrong, she turned around and looked out over the Labyrinth, a cool breeze flowing through her hair. When they had returned to the castle, Jareth had told her to leave her crystal in her room, and had then taken her up in the highest tower, both of them now standing in a small room at the very top. The room was empty and unused, but the solitary window held a magnificent view over the Labyrinth and the Goblin City.

Jareth walked over to the round window and sat down on the sill, leaning back and looking out at it all with a glow in his strange eyes.

,, Come and sit." he offered. Hesitantly, Harmony walked over and sat down with her back resting against the other side of the window, so her and Jareth were now facing each other.

,, Why did you want me to see this?" she asked and pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin on her knees.

,, Don't you like it?" he asked. Harmony nodded, as much as she could with her head on her knees, green eyes looking out over the Labyrinth. It bended and twisted around in all possible angles, changing from marble to boulder to hedge to woods to... everything.

,, I've never seen anything like it before."

,, And my castle?"

,, From what I've seen of it... Amazing."

,, Remind me to show you the gardens, I think you'd like them... But would you like to stay here? In the castle, in the Labyrinth?" Harmony jolted so suddenly she would have fallen out of the window if Jareth hadn't shot forward and grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back in. Harmony ignored the sudden closeness, the combined shock from the fall and the words had stunned her.

,, Be careful." Jareth said when Harmony began squirming in his arms and forced herself free of him, walking backwards against the wall.

,, What did you just say?" she said, breathlessly.

,, Be careful, you had almost fallen out of the window."

,, _Not _that...! Before that."

,, You could stay here, in the Underground, if you want to. Of course, you could go back to your world anytime you like, meet your friends and... go to concerts. But you could live here with me, stay at my court and..."

,, I am not turning into one of your goblins! I won...!"

,, Harmony..." he stepped closer and took her face in his hands.

,,... Not as my servant, I wouldn't allow it. But wouldn't it be better to stay here?"

,, No! Why should it? Why should I stay here with you, I barely even know you!" she pushed his hands away.

,, And what I know about I wish I didn't. You're vain, arrogant, you own a whole labyrinth filled with evil little things you've created, you steal children! Like some sort of stupid story!" he stepped closer and tried to talk to her, but she shook her head and moved away from him.

,, You're horrible! I hate you!" she turned away and ran through the door and down the stairs, tears already stinging in her eyes. She didn't know why his offer had upset her so much, but it had. Maybe because she had wondered, just for a short second, if she should say yes.

She managed to run down all the stairs without tripping and when she reached the bottom floor, she ran down the halls until she found a silent corridor, where she leaned against the wall and pressed her arms against her ribs, trying to catch her breath. She heard rustling in the shadows and a small goblin appeared from around the corner, looking at her cautiously.

,, Go away." she said to it when it toppled closer. It was a small scaly thing with huge orange eyes and yellow teeth.

,, I said; go away!" she kicked it aside and it flew across the hall and quickly scrambled away. Harmony buried her face in her hands and took a couple of deep breaths, then walked further down the hall. She managed to find a way outside, which led to a huge garden. It was filled with all sorts of plants, from white and faintly pink belladonna and roses to snowberries and huge poisonous toadstools, reeking with poison. She walked around in it for a while, starring at the wondrous and toxic plants in fascination; there were plants she had never heard of, plants that only existed in stories and vines that moved when they thought she wasn't watching. At a marble bench with sundew growing around its legs she sat down and began absentmindedly to play with the hem of one of her cuffs. There was a beating of velvet wings and before she knew it, Jareth was standing in front of her. His hair was golden in the sunlight, like white gold with streaks of cobber and bronze. He had changed in the meantime and was now wearing his black leather trousers and vest with his white shirt and the grey boots, his huge dark blue cape moving slightly in the wind.

,, Tell me, Harmony; do you find me attractive?" her cheeks began to burn again.

,, What?!"

,, A simple question deserves a simple answer; yes or no? I told you how I feel about you; the least thing you can do is return the favour."

,, Another reason for why I don't like you; you have no sense of shame."

,, From _hate _to _don't like_. We're moving in the right direction." he strode over and sat down beside her.

,, Go away." she mumbled and turned her face away.

,, You still haven't answered my question." she closed her eyes and sighed deeply.

,, Yes. You're actually very handsome. But that does not mean I like you. And stop smiling."

,, How do you know if I'm smiling?" Jareth said, his, as always, gloved fingers stroking her neck teasingly.

,, You always do in a situation like this."

,, Clever girl. Turn so can see you." she didn't react, so Jareth reached up and plucked a rose from the vine-like bush growing up the castle wall. He moved his arm around her and held the rose up. It was a pearl white tea rose with dark blue edges and a juicy green stem.

,, I apologize if I offended you." he said. Her hand slowly moved up and took the flower.

,, Dinner, a walk in the moonlight, a present and a flower. You really go all the way on a date." she said and slowly turned around, smiling at Jareth with a pink glow to her cheeks. Jareth smiled back.

,, I have thought about my wish..." she said. Jareth's smile faded. When she had used her wish, she would have to go back home. He had enjoyed her company, in the Labyrinth as well as in his castle, brief as it may have been.

,, Yes?" she stood up.

,, Come on."

*

The Goblin King was standing in the room Harmony had borrowed, leaning against the wall and looking out of the window, waiting for Harmony to change back to her clothes. On their way back to the room they had agreed on what to do, Jareth hesitant and far away, wondering what to do to keep Harmony at the castle for a while longer. She had won, but Sarah had as well. He had managed to keep her with him just for a few seconds longer, but he knew he couldn't with Harmony. First he had one crystal in his hand, then two, then three and finally four, letting them roll around his fingers and up his arm. What to do?

Harmony opened the door to the bathroom and walked out, dressed in her dirty and torn muddy attire.

,, You're gawking." she said and moved around him.

,, Harmony, how about a small bet?"

,, What have we been doing the last thirteen hours?" she asked and looked a bit uncomfortable, she wasn't in the mood for another game. But it is in the human nature to be curious, and with some it was stronger than other.

,, What kind of bet?" he shrugged and let go of one of the crystals, which somehow flew light as a feather through the air until it burst and left only glitter.

,, The same prizes as before; If you win, you can go home and get a wish granted. If I win, you get to stay here at the castle with me." Harmony shook her head.

,, I'm not in the mood for another walk in the Labyrinth right now, Jareth." she looked at him, glass green eyes sad yet determined.

,, I'd like to go home."

,, To what? To distant parents who decides what's best for you without you getting a chance to defend yourself and a brother who traded you for a worthless crystal?"

,, They're my family; I didn't chose them but I wont lose them either." she took a deep breath and sighed.

,, I have my wish..." they had agreed on the second she stepped out of the door to the room, she'd be back in her own one. Jareth nodded and let the three additional crystals disappear and walked up to her.

,, What do you wish for?"

,, I wish you close your eyes." oh, how laughable. Jareth, the Goblin King, being forced to run around with his eyes closed for the rest of his life.

,, For how long?" he asked with a sigh as his eyelids slowly slid down and shielded his mismatched eyes from Harmony.

,, Just until I'm out of the door, then you can open them again." oh, playing that way? That would leave him to her mercy; he imagined her putting the words about her boots to the test and kick him in a more valued area, but he didn't know what she'd do. He heard her step closer and felt her hands on his cheeks, moving up and fingers moving softly through his amazing hair. It was softer than anything else she had ever felt. Jareth stood with his eyes closed, awaiting a headbutt or a knee where it hurt, but what he felt was different. Harmony got on her toes, swaying slightly in her boots, and closed her eyes as well when she softly pressed her lips against Jareth's.

At first, he was confused, but then instincts took over and he wrapped his slender arms around her, pulling her closer and tried to deepen the kiss slightly. They stood like that, completely silent had it not been for their breathing, and when Harmony pulled back, Jareth had to use all the magical force in his being to not open his eyes and look at her. Slowly she began moving out of his embrace, even though Jareth tried to hold her in place, he didn't want it to stop.

,, Jareth, let go of me." she said, firmly but her voice sounded tearful, and he loosened his grip in her. He could hear her take another deep breath and she moved away, walking away from the Goblin King towards the door. And here they both committed a huge mistake each; Harmony left. And Jareth didn't stop her.

,, Bye..." he heard her whisper as the door slammed shut, the thunder of it echoing in the quiet room. His eyes shot open and he somehow regained control of his moves and ran to the door and practically flung it open, but all he saw was the deserted hall.

*

Harmony carefully opened her eyes and looked around; she was standing in her room, her good old room. She quickly pinched her arm to check if she was sleeping, but she wasn't. Then she thought the poster over her bed was of London Underground stations instead of the one she had with Boys Don't Cry, but it didn't change so it wasn't another illusion. Faintly she heard her parents car on the gravel of the driveway outside and her brother walking around outside her door, but she didn't really care. It seemed she had returned not hours after she had first landed in the Labyrinth, even though she had spent over a day there.

Slowly she unlaced her boots and kicked them off, then sat down on the bed, the mud on her shirt and trousers falling off and messing it up even more.

She couldn't remember when she fell asleep, she couldn't remember what she dreamt, if she dreamt at all, though she hoped it was of Jareth and the Labyrinth. All she remembered was crying.

**Dun-Dun-DUN! **

**Thank you to all the persons who are reading this story!:D I'll try to post next chappie in a hurry, fingers crossed:)**

**Also, a review would be mint condition. Top Notch. Humdinger. Cool. Wonderful:D**


	9. Chapter 9

Once again, again, again: I'm so sorry for the updating! And for the length of this chapter, but... Well, just read:)

The end (?)

When Harmony woke that morning, by someone pounding on the door to her room, she was about to tell herself it had all been a dream. Then she looked down herself and saw her muddied and torn clothes.

,, Harmony Jorja, I know you're mad, but it's a school day and you need to get up." her mother called from the other side of the door. Harmony pulled the pillow over her head and closed her eyes again. She wanted to sleep, she wanted to dream about the Labyrinth, but she also wanted to find a reason for staying with her family.

,, Harmony, you have two minutes to get downstairs."

,, Shut up!" she called muffled from under her pillow.

,, Don't talk to your mother like that."

,, Don't talk to me like you can order me around!" she shouted back, which caused her mother to march into her room.

,, You get up young lady, and that's now!" she grabbed the pillow and pulled it from Harmony's grasping fingers.

,, Oh my God, Harmony! What have you done?" her mother grabbed her muddy shirt and tugged it.

,, I tried to drown myself in the pond yesterday." she yawned and shoved her mother's hand away, pulling the blanket up over her head and hoping to close out her enraged parent.

,, You did _what?_" there the blanket went, pulled off by her mom.

,, I was joking, but thank you for the trust."

,, And what's this?" her mom grabbed something from the bed and held it up in the light; a perfect crystal, round and beautiful in its simplicity, and a blue trimmed tea rose.

,, Give me those, they're mine." she couldn't remember having brought them back with her, but maybe Jareth had made sure they went back. She took her presents and held them tenderly, not wanting anyone but her to see her gifts.

,, Where did you get those from?"

,, A... friend." she opened the drawer in her table and tossed the crystal and rose down in it, closing it almost angrily.

,, Who?" but Harmony ignored her mother and walked out of the door and into the bathroom, her mother following and stopping out in the hall.

,, No one." she said through the door, getting changed for school.

,, Harmony, you're being immature. Just get dressed now, okay?"

,, I AM!" she shouted, angry and tearful and pulled the white shirt of her school uniform on, followed by her dark blue blazer. A dark green tie used to follow, but Harmony never wore it. She pulled on a pair of white tights, sending a friendly thought to Jareth, and her dark blue skirt, which was far too long for a usual uniform skirt. But, even though the uniforms were good for equalizing, she liked trying to maintain one inch of integrity. She tousled up her hair, and because she knew it frustrated her parents, she quickly applied dark grey eye shadow, black eyeliner and, to top it all, black lipstick, the one her mother hated so.

,, Oh no, Harmony, you're not going to school like that?" her mother asked when Harmony walked out of the bathroom, ignoring her completely and lacing her boots angrily, before almost running downstairs and into the kitchen, grabbing an apple and walking for the door with her mother shouting a lot of incomprehensible things at her, grabbing her bag and slamming the door forcefully.

In school, it wasn't going much better; Math.

Harmony was sitting, absorbed in her own world, drawing in her notebook, filling up the pages with blueprints over labyrinths. Thousand of ideas and paths to chose from, secret turns and doors that never opened. When her teacher saw what she was doing, she was sent down to the principal with the notebook under one arm, to explain what she had done wrong.

*

In his elaborate room in the castle beyond the Goblin City, Jareth sat, more like lay actually, with most of his upper body slung across his desk, head resting on the left arm and a bottle of wine in the right hand.

Maybe human girls just weren't for him. Hell, he could have whoever he bloody well wanted, so what was the problem with him today? Not since Sarah had he been pondering over things like that. Sometimes he could even smell her , either Sarah or Harmony, as if they were just walking by out in the corridor. Well, he knew a cure for that...

The Goblin King straightened up and took another swig of the bottle, stated it was empty and glared at until it refilled. Then he emptied it slowly, wondering what he should do first; build a new part of the Labyrinth or go harass his subjects. Maybe a combination of the two?

Bored, he conjured up a crystal ball and let it balance on the tip of his finger. The scene in the crystal was of Harmony, sitting in a chair in what looked like an office, pointing to some sketches in a notebook, which lay on the table. A woman in her mid fifties sat on the other side of the desk, nodding along as Harmony explained.

_,,... And these marks means there's an oubliette, like the ones they had in the old castles, and if you fall down in one of them, you need help from the outside to get free again."_ Harmony said, pointing to different spots in the notebook. Jareth straightened up and took a closer look at the sketches.

_,, And what are those?"_ the principal asked and traced a finger along something Harmony had scratched down.

_,, These are something I thought up myself; it's like a giant record player. If you step on this huge disk thing, it begins spinning and drags you along with it. The trick is to stand completely still, until it stops, and then slowly move until you can get off." _a bell rung somewhere in the crystal and pulled Harmony and the headmaster from the notes. The woman cleared her throat.

_,, Yes, well, Harmony, this is some impressive work. Just don't work on it in the lessons, understood?"_ Harmony nodded and closed the notebook.

_,, Sure." _she got up and turned around, so Jareth could see her face, since her back had been turned to him the whole time. He raised a perfect eyebrow at the make up she wore, but his lips crooked up slightly as well.

_,, Where did you get that from?" _Harmony asked and the principal looked up from some papers she was sorting through.

_,, Oh that? They live all around here, especially near the old church tower by the forest, you know that don't you? This one I hit with my car by accident last year. And I thought it would look great in here." _Harmony nodded absentmindedly and reached out with the hand she wasn't holding the notebook with, stroking whatever it was she was looking at, the channel Jareth was using to spy on her with.

_,, It's a barn owl, right?" _Harmony said.

_,, Yes it is. Now hurry along, you need to go to lunch."_

*

Harmony didn't go to lunch.

When she had made sure no one was watching her, she snug out of the school by an entrance in the back, pacing fast away from the building, her schoolbag and notebook under her left arm. She went to the park and sat down on a bench under a young oak tree, where acorns fell down and hit her on the head, shoulders or arms, or simply landed beside her, whenever the wind rustled through the branches and leaves. When she had filled the book with drawings, written in her unpractised and slightly clumsy hand, everything from designs on the Labyrinth, to creatures that would live in it, she stuffed it back in her bag and pulled out her walkman and turned it on, losing herself in a labyrinth of music. She needed the music, for whenever she wasn't concentrating on anything, an amazing melodic voice crept into her mind, speaking softly and lovingly to her.

Overhead, some sort of hawk floated past, silent in the air.

She liked skipping class... She must do that more often.

*

In the evening after dinner, Harmony pulled on her boots and walked through the twilight of the small town, hands buried in the pockets of her jacket, where a pearly tea rose lay in the left one, and a crystal in the right. The wind was chilly and she quickly grew cold, but still kept on walking. When she reached the forest, she began sneaking along the forest border, being careful not to make too much of a racket.

The old church tower had been standing on the otherwise empty field for as long as anyone could remember; most of the original church had crumpled away during the course of time, since it had been abandoned after a fire in the 1820'ies. Only the tower stood, silently watching over the woods and the town, and recently, it had been home to several great barn owls. Harmony breathed on her cold fingers and tried to rub some warmth into them, standing just by the edge of the forest and watching the owls in their flight, diving for mice and returning to their nests in a nightly dance.

,, Aren't you freezing?" Jareth asked and placed a velvet-clad hand on her shoulder. Harmony didn't even turn, she just shrugged.

,, A bit." Jareth stepped closer to her and wrapped his lean arms around her from behind, his blue cape folding around both of them. His hands moved down and took hers, easing the cold in her fingers.

,, Beautiful, wouldn't you say so?" he asked when an owl took a turn in the air, a dark silhouette on the sunset-coloured sky.

,, Maybe." Jareth pressed his lips to her scalp softly, all traces of the arrogant prince being gone from him at that moment.

,, Come back, Harmony. Come back to the castle with me." he pleaded in a whisper. Harmony shook her head weakly.

,, Sorry." she whispered herself. Jareth didn't make any response. And even though she could feel his arms around her, warm and safe, as she turned to face him, he was gone.

*

The week for Harmony was spent in a daze, skipping school and wandering aimlessly around the town, trying to lose her way and get caught in dead ends, but always finding there was no way of getting lost around there. When Friday came, she put on a dark blue shirt over a grey t-shirt and laced up her boots, grabbing her bag and walked for the door.

,, Where are you going?" Marcus asked and looked away from the screen of the TV, where some game show was playing.

,, To babysit." Harmony answered shortly; though Marcus had thought it had been a dream, Harmony remembered vividly being traded for a crystal.

,, Bye then." he said. She didn't answer.

Maybe it would be good spending a night watching over Preeti; take her mind off things for a while.

Some hours later, after having cooked dinner for Preeti and played games with her, watched a movie and helped her getting ready for bed, Harmony had almost forgotten everything that had happened to her during the week. However, when Preeti asked for a story, it backfired and hit her in the face again.

,, Which one then?" she asked, sitting in the foot of Preeti's princess bed.

,, This one." Preeti handed her a book which had been lying on her nightstand. Harmony recognised it immediately.

,, Preeti, you know you're not supposed to go in my bag." Harmony sighed when she took The Labyrinth and moved her fingers over the cover. Strange... She had no recollection whatsoever of having put it in her bag.

,, Sorry, but it looked so good."

,, I can't read the whole book, it's too long."

,, Then tell me about it." Preeti said, grinning innocently and happily at Harmony. They had done that before, Harmony trimming off the edges of the tale and telling it so to suit a child for a bedtime story.

,, Okay then..." Harmony cleared her throat and began.

,, Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away..." the most used sentence in the whole world...

,,... There lived a king, who was ruler over a whole court of goblins and a massive labyrinth, filled with magic and hidden dangers." Preeti huddled further down the bed, pulling the baby blue duvet with the unicorns closer around her. This was going to be good.

,, And the king was very, very handsome and cunning; but he was also vain and selfish and spoiled. He was arrogant and very cruel to his subjects, and the Labyrinth he ruled over was created to confuse and frighten anyone who entered it." Harmony spoke softly, fingers moving over the cover of the book in a steady rhythm.

,, But he was also very romantic.

The goblins, you see, stole children from their families. One member just had to wish the child away, and then it would be gone. And the person in question would have thirteen hours to solve the Labyrinth and bring their sister or brother of friend back, or else it would be forced to live in the Goblin City, turned into a goblin..." Harmony paused for dramatic effect.

,,... Forever.

But one day, a girl wished her baby brother away, and when the king saw her, he fell in love. And the girl fought like mad and raced against the time, and she just managed to solve the Labyrinth in the last second. And the king pleaded her to stay with him, but the girl refused. And she went home with her brother again, back to their old house in their old world." Preeti looked confused; where was the Happily Ever After, where was the giant wedding and the festivities and celebrations?

,, What happened to the king?" she asked, hugging her teddy bear a little closer.

,, He still sits in his castle, waiting for people to wish each other away to the Labyrinth." Harmony knew she should have changed the ending, made it more childproof, but she hadn't, for unknown reasons.

,, Isn't he lonely?" Harmony shrugged.

,, Sometimes, maybe. But you must remember, he's a creature of pride. He'll never admit it, and as long as we wish our siblings and friends away, he'll be too busy to notice."

,, What do you have to say to get the goblins to come?" the thought of saying it and accidentally wishing Preeti away to the Labyrinth, filled with goblins and oubliettes, made a small shier run down Harmony's spine. Or even... What if Preeti learned the words and used them on someone else?

,, It doesn't say. Now..." she stood up and walked for the door.

,, Go to bed, you need your sleep." she closed the door slightly, but left it open an inch or so, letting the light in the hall glow softly.

How could she go to sleep after a story like that?

Preeti lay and wondered, hugging her bear and looking at the glowing pillar of light by he door, her young brain running so fast she had difficulty in following. She finally got up and walked out through the door, her teddy bear under one arm, sneaking down the hall and into the living room, where Harmony sat on the couch and watched some old, black and white movie.

,, Harmony...?" Harmony turned her head and looked at the little girl, before she got up and walked over to her.

,, Preeti, you need to go back to bed, okay?" she said tiredly and bent down, picking the girl up and carrying her back to her room.

,, Harmony, are you sad?" Harmony chuckled.

,, No, why would I be?"

,, Because it looks like you're crying." her eyes were a little red, the same way her mother's had been that time grandpa rung and told them that grandma was dead. Harmony gave the small chuckle again.

,, I'm just tired. Like you should be, it's really late." she walked into the room and put Preeti down in the bed, tucking her in.

,, If you didn't like the story, I can tell you another one?" Preeti shook her head.

,, No, I liked it.

Harmony?"

,, Yeah?"

,, Wouldn't it be funny if I wished that the goblins came and took you away?" Harmony froze and her eyes grew huge in her skull, but it passed away instantly.

,, Maybe. If you knew the words, of course." she ruffled up in her hair.

,, Try going back to sleep, okay?" Preeti nodded and lay her head down on the pillow. Harmony walked back into the living room and sat down in the couch, hugging herself tightly. Nothing had happened, there was nothing to be worried about, none of them were going to get snatched away by goblins.

She got up again, deciding she needed something to drink, and walked out into the kitchen. She turned on the water in the sink and filled up a glass, drinking it slowly, as if it could wash away the week.

,, You are very popular." Harmony jumped and dropped the glass into the sink, where it landed with a clatter but didn't break. She spun around angrily and pointed a finger towards Jareth, who had never looked more out of character than he did now, standing by the entrance to the small family kitchen, by the refrigerator filled with Preeti's drawing and little post it notes.

,, Don't you ever try to sneak up n me like that again!" she almost shouted, but kept her voice down for the sake of the sleeping child in the house. Jareth only smirked, hands on his slightly cocked hips and eyes twinkling.

,, This is the second time in less than a week someone has wished you away."

,, Preeti didn't wish and if you even dare to touch her, I'll stab you in one of your stupid eyes." Harmony threatened, eyeing the knives hanging on the wall beside her.

,, I'm not here to harass either of you, Harmony..." he took a step closer to her.

,, Get out!" she said, but realised she had nothing to back the order up with. She couldn't call the police, even though it would be the toast of the land if she did.

_,, Hello, there's an evil goblin king in my kitchen, can you send a car out before he starts juggling with crystals?"_

Jareth put a gloved finger to his lips and shushed her.

,, Don't want to wake up the baby, do we?" he asked and took another step, Harmony quickly finding herself caught in a corner.

,, What is it you want then?" she hissed through her teeth.

,, Isn't that obvious?" he held out his hand, waiting for Harmony to take it.

,, I would like to be generous for one last time and offer you a place at my court."

,, Like what then? Royal Glitter Carrier?"

,, I was thinking more in the lines of Head Architect of the Labyrinth, actually."

,, Head Archi..." her eyes grew with realisation.

,, It was you! You put that stupid book in my bag and made sure that Preeti found it! And you've been spying on me for how long?!"

,, Let's not go round and point fingers at each other. Do you accept my offer or not?" he held out his hand and waited for her to take it again. Harmony pushed it away.

,, Did you miss a window and flew into a wall? I'm not going back with you, we have stated that by now!"

,, You told the story very well." Jareth said, changing the subject. Harmony's cheeks grew red.

,, What was it you said? Oh yes, "the king was _very_, _very handsome_" was that not it?"

,, What if it was? Not to feed that stupid vanity of yours, since I don't think your head can take growing much bigger, but you're not exactly ugly." his lips curled up into a smile again. He placed the hand on her cheek and leaned closer to her.

,, Same to you." Harmony crossed her arms and slowly took a step closer to Jareth, letting him wrap his arms around her and rest his head on hers. They stood like that for long, eyes closed and breaths silent, both of them just giving in and sensing the other one. The kitchen was completely silent and Harmony found Jareth's breathing and the beating of his heart the only thing solid and reliable.

,, My family..." she whispered tearfully, not even being able to finish the sentence.

,, They won't miss you. And you will still be allowed to come up here whenever you want, I give you my word on that."

,, Head Architect... You'll have to help me, I'm lousy at that sort of thing..."

,, I will."

,, Is the pay any good?"

,, Horrible, but you will get a room of your own and three meals each day."

,, Where's the catch?"

,, You will be forced to dine with me." she snuggled further into his embrace.

,, Sounds like something I can live with..."

,, There is one other thing..." she looked up at him.

,, What?" he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, moving his hands up into her hair and down over her shoulders. When he pulled away Harmony stood and looked out of the window, hands shaking slightly.

,, Well..." she cleared her throat and tried again.

,,... that was... Uhm, that was... Oh screw it, that was mind-blowing." she looked up at him, tears for her family shining in the corner of her eyes. Jareth vowed doing his best never to make her cry again.

,,... Okay..." she whispered. Jareth wrapped his cape around both of them and there was the sound of feathery wings beating...

*

And true, Harmony's parents didn't miss her: how can you miss someone you have never actually laid your eyes upon? Her room was empty, all traces of her gone, and no file at the school had her name on it. No one, not even Preeti or Angharrad, ever remembered her green eyes or starling hair.

*

,, I believe it was my charm that finally won you over." Jareth said casually, watching Harmony walk around her room at the castle and fiddle with some drawings she had made. She was horrible at drawing, even after two weeks in Jareth's company, but she only had to scratch something down and tell him about it, and then the goblin king would do the rest.

,, You also believe those huge shirts you walk around in are fashionable." Harmony said and put her sketchbook down on the desk under her window.

,, Would you like me more if I were not to wear them?" Jareth asked.

,, Maybe, I don't know..." Harmony turned around and her cheeks grew a bright cherry red when she saw Jareth, standing and grinning as her, his vest and shirt and even those stupid gloves missing.

,, No, not like that!" she shouted and turned back round, her whole body shaking with giggles. Jareth waved a hand and his shirt reappeared and he walked up to her, leaning his back against the desk and his arms crossed over his chest.

,, You'll laugh at me for weeks now, right?" Harmony asked and tried to glare at him, which proved to be useless. Jareth shrugged.

,, Maybe, you can never know." he waved her closer and placed an arm around her waist, making the dark green dress she was wearing rustle like autumn leaves in the wind. He moved his free hand up and placed it on her cheek, making Harmony lean into the touch and smile softly. He almost always wore his gloves, so when he finally took them off, she could never get enough of the marble smooth feeling of his fingers, moving through her hair or over her cheeks and arms.

The kiss that followed was interrupted by a careful knock on the door, a small goblin named Plastertooth appearing round the bend of the wood, holding its small helmet in its equally small hands.

,, The goblins have caught another baby, and now there seems to be someone in the Labyrinth." it croaked, bowing its head the whole time it spoke. Jareth snapped his fingers and a crystal appeared, holding it up so Harmony could watch as well, as a boy, around the thirteen-fourteen managed to squeeze in through a minute gap in the gates of the Labyrinth.

,, My, my, so it would indeed seem." he moved his arm from around Harmony's waist and his vest and gloves rematerialized, before getting hidden under a dark jacket with silver buttons with a crystal centre in each of them. Plastertooth bowed again, almost knocking its head against the marble floor, and disappeared out through the door again.

,, Can you take care of the infant while I'm gone?" he asked and Harmony crossed her arms angrily.

,, You always go out and I always have to stay at home with the baby!" she said in a mock angry voice and stomped her foot.

,, This will be the last time, I promise." he said and kissed her on the forehead, leading her towards the door of her room, which had been ever so conveniently placed two doors away from Jareth's. Harmony sighed and stepped out of the door, heading to the throne room with Jareth just beside her, his hand placed on her back as if he was guiding her though darkness.

,, Wanna bet?"

**I'm not that good with writing endings, so a review to tell me if it was crap or not would be perfect:D**

**Thank you to all my wonderful readers and reviewers!:D**

**SeventhS.**


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